A VIRTUAL balloon race to Lapland will be launched on Christmas Day by Aireborough Rotary.

The race will start at 12pm and will last for seven days. Participants can buy, create and track a balloon for themselves, or as a gift and watch its progress with £50, £20 and £10 prizes. Go to https://ecoracing.co/user/page/1050 to buy a balloon.

The club has recently helped the Kids Out charity with its Toy Box Initiative. The charity was seeking funding for presents for 51 children in three Leeds refuges. Assistant Governor (Leeds Group) and Aireborough member Janet Appleton contacted all the Leeds clubs and secured the £1275 needed to ensure all the children will wake up to an exciting Christmas Day. Aireborough members also donated 60 presents, collected and wrapped by Janet Kerr, to go to children and their parents supported by Aireborough Children’s Centre.

Club members were delighted to get back on the fundraising trail for Rotary charities at Yeadon Town Hall Christmas Market.

The club has hosted two speakers at zoom meetings this month. Member Tony Scaife traced the exploits of the Potternewton Cycling Club, 1892-1914, which held regular trips to the East Coast and was lauded as the premier racing team of its day.

GP Vasu Mani, a nephew of the Rotary club president, talked about developing patient relationships and holistic care. His interests have included sports medicine and roles in rugby league, rugby union and football. His career included military medicine, emergency medicine in Australia, and involvement at Castleford Tigers Academy.