Rotaract is a service, leadership and community service organisation for 18-30 year olds. Like Rotary and embodying the same core values of service above self. Krissie Webb, local Rotaract chair shares her passion and tells us what Rotaractors get up to in the Hornsby Kuring gai area.

Solvatten, a deceptively simple device from Sweden enables the production of clean fresh water. The size of a suitcase, the unit uses the power of the sun to generate potable water, relieving many from the drudgery of gathering wood and lighting fires to purify the water needed for consumption and washing. Peter Rheinberger explains how the Rotary Club of Castle Hill encourages local schools and others to donate to this life changing device.

From its beginnings with two homeless children in Nepal, Jan Pryor, Rotarian and teacher has taken the Didi Foundation from strength to strength to create sustainable, self funding lifestyle programs to educate and empower disadvantaged women in Nepal. The earthquake in 2015 and Covid have not diminished Jan's passion to help change the lives and the futures for thousands of women and children.

Enterprising and generous members of Kenthurst Rotary Club support a plan to build a dental clinic, on the banks of the Sepik River, Papua New Guinea. Karo Haltmeier explains the need, the solution and the impact the clinic will have on the oral health of a community which to date has had no dental services. Another example of service above self.

Cycling in Australia is booming with more bikes being sold and more riders than ever before. Matt Colson from professional services firm EY explains the key findings from the 2021 Cycling and the Economy Report. We also learn how EY encourages a healthy lifestyle among its staff.

Community cycle event, the Bobbin Head Cycle Classic aka The Bobbo attracts thousands of cyclists and organisations seeking to engage with fit, enthusiastic and outdoor loving riders. Ramsay Health Care is a Partner of the Bobbo and we meet Lorrie Mohsen CEO of, Mt Wilga Private Rehabilitation Hospital who explains their services and how the Bobbo supports their community health messaging.

Erica Henley leads Operation Hope Australia assisting people living in the refugee camps of Greece and Kurdistan. Funds raised in Australia enable Eric and her team to provide essential medical equipment and humanitarian resources to ease the plight of people trapped in the camps, often in over crowded, unsanitary and desperate conditions. A remarkable gesture from an inspiring Australian.

A time capsule is buried to commemorate the centenaries of Rotary and a splendid municipal park in Wahroonga. We attend the celebration and meet the Hon Paul FletcherMP, Hon. Alister Henskens SC MP, Jeff Pettett, Mayor of Wahroonga and local Rotarians Peter Kirkwood OAM and Lindsay May OAM. The podcast concludes with a poem, beautifully written and recited by local ex dentist, Rob Ferguson.

Thanks to the creative fundraising efforts of Allan Waldon, hundreds of girls in Nepal are now able to attend school four weeks a month. Allan raises funds to provide personal hygiene pad packs which are reusable, washable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. Allan wants to provide 8000 kits and explains his next fundraising venture.....an ambitious 4000 km ride across outback Australia on single cylinder dirt bike. As Allan puts it, the greatest risk in life is never to take a risk. Better to try and fail than fail to try. For more see Facebook The Butcher and Nepal.

In 2008 Kenya faced a severe post election crisis resulting in more than 500,000 people being displaced from their homes. Many children were abandoned, orphaned and driven out by parents unable to support them. Mary Coulson, was horrified and it was her determination that led to the founding of Restart Africa. Originally with six children the orphanage now has over 100 children giving them a home, education, care and counselling. We meet Mary, colleague Di Boettcher and Peter Maynard who spearheads the appeal for donations to support this life changing work of Restart Africa.

Abandoned by her adoptive father, Dianne O'Brien is raped at the age of 15, sentenced to Parramatta Girls Home and later forced to marry her rapist in order to keep her baby. Many hardships follow but her fighting spirit is undaunted. Dianne's book Daughter of the River Country is the focus of a dinner event to be hosted by Gosford City Rotary Club. We meet Anne Charlton who paints the picture of Auntie Di and the impact she has on local indigenous people through the Mingaletta Corporation.

For 17 years, Woy Woy Rotary Club has hosted a unique outdoor event, Opera in the Arboretum, raising annually approx $40k to assist local surf and music activities. Wayne Jennings convenor of the event tells us how this is achieved, the performers and the repertoire.

The Hornsby Kuring gai Womens' Shelter provides a safe haven for women suffering abuse and homelessness. Founded by volunteers, the Shelter relies on funds raised by Rotary and other agencies to provide this essential service. Shelter chair, Catherine Knox explains how it all works and helps women get back on their feet.

Lindsay May OAM has been District Governor for six months, with another six to go. We find out his aims and achievements so far and future areas of focus. Lindsay also foreshadows the challenges of navigating in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race....something he has been doing for 47 consecutive years!

Every Christmas, hundreds of the elderly living in nursing homes and assisted care facilities receive a gift from the elves busily working at St Ives Rotary. Di Barnes, Public Image Director for St Ives Rotary explains how it works, where to find the Tree of Joy, how to donate and the pleasure it brings to the recipients.

For most of us living in the relative comfort of Australia we take for granted our easy way of life. But this isn’t the case for thousands of people whose lives have been shattered by natural disasters and war. Many citizens from the Great Lakes countries of Africa, from Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo have now settled comfortably in Australia, particularly in rural towns thanks to the tireless work of GLAPD…the Great Lakes Agency for Peace and Development.

When we think of family abuse most of us think about physical abuse but it also includes emotional, psychological, financial and sexual abuse along with neglect and coercive control of a person. Dorothy Gilmour explains how to stop abuse in families everywhere, including how to recognise abuse, how to raise concern and how to refer it.

The Rotary Foundation distributes millions of dollars every year by way of Global Grants to fund humanitarian projects, vocational training and scholarships tenable at overseas universities. Dennis Shore has held numerous governance roles with Rotary and explains how it all works.

Thanks to Rotary we meet two winners of the Rotary Inspirational Women's Awards. Sarah Bancroft a community police officer and Fibha Frameen a Global Peace Ambassador and activist for the cultural and linguistically diverse community. Rae-Anne Medforth, Chair of RIWA sets the scene.

With the world focused on COP 26, we look at the impact of electric vehicles in an upcoming webinar, the next in a series hosted by Rotarian Jeremy Wright AM. Jeremy explains how this fits into Rotary's focus on the environment and the background of the speakers on the webinar. District Governor Jeremy also reflects on the progress achieved during his term of office and goals for the future.