FSEG Storage & Distribution Centre

The Project

Rotary Gozo have supported the Friends of the Sick and the Elderly in Gozo ( www.fsegozo.com ) for the last 2 years and our fundraising has provided the charity with much needed equipment which is loaned out to other Community NGO’s, such as Nursing homes for the elderly, and directly to those in the Community who are sick and/or elderly and cannot afford the necessary equipment to provide them with better comfort and safety in their homes, or often also in institutions. These items range from special mattresses, electric and adjustable beds, hoists, first aid Pneumac EMT Ventilators and Resuscitators, etc... The main functions of the society are to assist the sick and the elderly in every way and to help improve and increase hospital and home facilities available for the safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the sick and the elderly in Gozo

Despite existing for 25 years FSEG have never had a permanent location for the storage of equipment and distribution of both equipment and also their “Meals-on-wheels” service. They have depended on the kindness of a few to make use of garage storage, rooms in people’s homes etc.. This project is therefore to establish practical and permanent premises for the FSEG to operator out of and run a Storage & Distribution Centre in Gozo. Through this project we aim to significantly increase the ability of FSEG to provide the necessary care and support opportunities they already deliver to the local community, and through this increase the awareness of both the FSEG to the local population in Gozo and Malta. This in turn will allow the FSEG to grow in local support as an NGO creating more community awareness and also increasing public awareness of Rotary and its local and International work, such as Rotary Foundation and Polio, for good causes.

The benefits to the charity and community are significant for the following reasons:

Having permanent premises will allow the charity to build up advance stocks of the equipment most in need by the community. Currently they order equipment, on a “just-in-time” or on-demand basis, which for some community recipients can often be too late or simply be to long to wait. This would also enable sponsors of equipment to come forward, which is not possible at the moment.
They will be able to run all their operations including the “meals-on-wheels” service from the same location, increasing efficiency and security.
Permanent premises will allow the charity to better advertise their existence and to grow their services and be more directly helpful to the community in the medium term.
Rotary can significantly increase public awareness of it’s own existence through the project and via direct onsite advertising and overall visibility, particularly as the premises are on a main route through the island and accessible to the public.

The project will support the acquisition of the premises to allow the charity to focus directly on delivering the service they are so good at, and continue to increase their stock in hand. Furthermore local Rotarians can directly engage in Community work through the charity as they also participate in and organise regular visits to the sick and also the elderly both in institutions and also their homes, taking them on special trips or organising one-off events.

Fundraising for the project

Our first fundraising event was an Antiques and Collectables Auction which took place on 31^st July 2010. This has directly supported the project. We also participated in an International rally across Corsica and Sardinia using a 1980’s Ford Mustang, adopted by the club. The car was funded and driven by Rotarian members. We have experienced members who have participated in major international rallies. The car clearly advertised Rotary as well as the charity and sponsors. We also engaged with local CLubs in Malta and Sicily, and the Malta clubs excelled themselves in solidarity and support, raising €2,000 from their own funds to support this project. thanks Rotary Malta and Rotary L Vallette. District 2110 also made a contribution to the project during the District Governor's visit in December 2010.

The centre was officially opened in December 2010 by the District 2110 Governor Salvatore "Toto" Lo Curto in the presence of the chairman and committee of the FSEG, Rotary Gozo's President and fellow Rotarians.