THE work of Cowdenbeath Rotary Club members, and backing of the public of the area, has seen a number of projects take place which have made a real difference to the lives of people living abroad.

The club’s annual general meeting on Thursday, heard that these ranged from assisting the Beath High-Malawi Partnership, through to disaster relief and supporting the project which is seeing communities receive new homes in Nepal.

International convener, Tom Russell, told the meeting that the support was literally making a real difference to people.

He said: “Thanks to the backing of the people of the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area the funds realised has seen the build a house in Nepal project supported which was started by Anna Guring with the aid of Pitlochry Rotary Club and when we met Anna in January everyone was quite taken by the story she had to tell from her visits to Nepal and what she had seen.

“Our support is helping communities see new homes built to replace buildings shattered by the earthquake of two years ago.

“The backing of the Beath-Malawi Partnership continues to see work which strengthens the connection between Cowdenbeath and Africa and there will be a party from the school going out there later this year.”

Tom also talked about the club’s involvement with Tools With A Mission (TWAM), based in Cowdenbeath, who collect and refurbish old tools which can be used to good effect in the Third World.

He added: “There is also our Shelter Box mechanism which means that when a major disaster occurs in any part of the world we can pay for a box to be sent which can supply accommodation and utensils for a family of ten.

“But all these things would not be possible without the finance which we are able to raise through the support of the public.

“It is vital to have that to be able to assist the various international causes and we thank everyone who supports us.”

In addition to all these there is also the funding of education for children in India. The club is currently funding the education of two girls after having spent ten years backing a boy who has become a mechanic having successfully gone through the Indian education system.