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AROUND THE CLUBS Mercy ships supported
Fighting plastic on the beaches The International and Foundation Committee of
Exe Valley Rotary Club has donated £500 to
Dawlish Water Rotary Club organised a beach Mercy Ships, following a second talk by Lesley
cleaning session, with the support of Teignbridge Davey, a volunteer of long standing for the
District Council on Rotary Day, February 23. floating hospital charity, at the end of January.
They concentrated their efforts on Dawlish main Mercy Ships were formed in 1978 by Don and
beach and Coryton Cove and managed to attract Deyon Stephens, who bought a retired ocean liner
a dozen or so volunteers to join the Rotary party, called Victoria for £600,000. Over the next four
making around 30 people in all, a remarkable years, the passenger vessel was gradually
achievement, given the bitterly cold weather. transformed into a hospital ship, with three
operating theatres and a 40-bed ward. In 1982,
A group of schoolchildren from Westcliff School in the vessel sailed as the newly christened
Dawlish also turned up to help, although their Anastasis to become the first Mercy Ship, with a
efforts were hampered by the poor conditions and crew of 350 volunteers from all over the world.
the higher seas whipped up by the wind. Since then, ships in the Mercy Ships Fleet have
visited more than 450 ports in developing
Nevertheless, the rubbish collected, including countries around the world, bringing lasting
quite a lot of plastic, filled four wheelie bins, change to millions of lives
which the Council provided.
Mercy Ships are funded by many committed
supporters, including individuals, Rotary Clubs,
Trusts, Schools, Churches and companies.
More information from Exe Valley Rotary Club.
