One of Agritel’s Directors, Brenda Duffus, is running six 10K races around the UK to raise money for Mercy Ships whilst also marking a memorable birthday year. Agritel is pleased to be sponsoring Brenda each time she completes a race and delighted that the money raised will benefit the Mercy Ships charity!
Friend and stalwart of the Oswestry Borderland Rotary club, Linda Butler, passed away unexpectedly in June 2016. Linda was a committed Rotarian who epitomised the organisation’s ideal of “Service Above Self” and had volunteered for Mercy Ships twice in recent years, using her nursing skills to provide vital support for operations for Africa’s poor and underprivileged.
The Mercy Ships’ vessel Africa Mercy is like a small city, with a crew of more than 400 volunteers from over 40 nations to keep it running. As well as medical and dental professionals, they need volunteers in a wide range of other areas: cooks, teachers, receptionists, mechanics, engineers and information technology specialists, for example. Volunteers can apply for short-term placements – from two weeks to two years, depending on the role – or make a longer-term commitment – initially for two years – for positions that require more continuity and training.
All applicants are required to raise their own funds to cover crew fees, insurance, transportation to and from the ship and personal expenses. This enables the charity to deliver life-saving medical free of charge to some of the world’s poorest people.
As a lasting tribute to Linda, Oswestry Borderland Rotary decided to create the Linda Butler Mercy Ships Bursary to provide financial assistance for like-minded individuals from the club’s catchment area who are prepared to spend a month of their time on a Mercy Ships vessel. Brenda’s running will provide much-needed funds for the Bursary. Anyone wishing to sponsor Brenda, or support the Bursary direct, can contact John Duffus, International Committee Chairman, Oswestry Borderland Rotary on 01691 671496.