WOMEN of the Rotary Club of York came together last week to celebrate International Women’s Day and raised over £700 support local organisations.

The event, entitled Women helping Women, was organised between the Rotary Club of York and the Two Ridings Community Foundation.

Rotarians Sheila Weatherburn and Diana Naish organised the lunch following the unprecedented demand for funding when Two Ridings Community Foundation launched the recent Tampon Tax Community Fund providing grants to groups working to support women.

At the lunch a member of the Two Ridings Community Foundation Jackie McCafferty spoke about the Tampon Tax Community Fund, the groups that had been supported and the many groups that were still seeking help.

Sheila Weatherburn of the Rotary Club of York said: ‘I have been a Volunteer Project Assessor for Two Ridings Community Foundation for a number of years but I have not before witnessed the need and demand for funding demonstrated by the sheer volume of applications received to the Tampon Tax Community Fund for support for women’s projects. There is a huge unmet need in this area, many groups dealing with some very complex and difficult issues. The funds we have raised along with donations of women’s sanitary items and toiletries will go towards meeting some of this need and supporting the groups that could not be funded from the Tampon Tax Community Fund."

Jan Garrill, Chief Executive of Two Ridings Community Foundation said: "The Women helping Women scheme is very powerful and the funds raised will help Two Ridings Community Foundation to kick start a new Women and Girls Fund. The need is very clear and we are very grateful to Sheila and Diana, the Women of the Rotary Club of York and their like-minded friends for stepping in and helping some of those groups that are working with very vulnerable women in our area."

Two Ridings Community Foundation welcome donations into the new Women and Girls Fund to support groups across North & East Yorkshire working to provide support to vulnerable women and girls and if anyone would like to help with their own fundraising initiatives donations can be made online at www.tworidingscf.org.uk

Further information about the Fund or the Community Foundation can be obtained through the website or by telephoning Jackie McCafferty on 01904 929500. For further information about the work of the Rotary Club of York please email sheilaw@yorkrotary.co.uk