Welcome to the Rotary Club of Camberwell

Are you a person who wants to make positive changes in your community, regional Australia and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of friendly people who shares your drive to give back.
Club News
Cr Lisa Hollingsworth 2023-24 Boroondara Mayor
 
Congratulations to the new Boroondara Mayor Cr Lisa Hollingsworth. President George de Souza will be attending a Civic Reception to welcome the new Mayor on 7 December.
The former Mayor, Cr Felicity Sinfield was an active honorary member of our club attending a number of meetings and events. Cr Sinfield encouraged greater collaboration of Boroondara based Rotary Clubs. She committed to meet six monthly to continue our collaboration. We are very grateful for Cr Sinfield’s ongoing involvement with our club during her term of office.
We look forward to welcoming Mayor Cr Lisa Hollingworth as an honorary member in mid-February 2024.
Hawthorn Makers Market (HMM) Sun 3 Dec 2023
 
After a dreary week of intermittent drizzle, last Sunday cleared up with plenty of warmth and sunshine, the perfect ingredient for the final 2023 HMM.
 
Patrons were treated to a full house and a variety of stalls of gourmet foods, specially made Christmas items and the usual handmade reliable fare we’ve learnt to expect. There was also a variety of entertainment including Phil the accordion player and a variety of other activities with the face painter drawing a constant queue of eager children.
 
The market broke all previous records with 70 stallholders and over 1,200 visitors. Needless to say, there was constant buzz and loads of happy faces.
 
HMM returns with great enthusiasm in 2024 on the first Sunday, the 3rd of March.
Our newest member - Jessica Wat
At the meeting of 15 November 2023 Jessica Wat was inducted as a member of the Camberwell Rotary Club. Jessica visited the club many times in the lead up to her induction including contributing to a ForAmeal food packing night and she provided 5 kg sliced onions for the recent Bunnings Sausage Sizzle. Jessica is a successful Property Sales Executive with Biggin Scott, Boroondara.
 
She has a friendly and compassionate disposition and is looking forward to contributing to the community. Without doubt, our club is richer to have Jessica onboard.
Bert Stevens Scholarship 2023
 
Since 2005 the Rotary Club of Camberwell has provided two Bert Stevens Apprentice scholarships to worthy students undertaking apprenticeships at the Box Hill Institute. The annual scholarship is awarded in honour of the club’s revered charter member and skilled tradesman, the late Bert Stevens.
From left to right - President George de Souza, Joshua O’Connor and Dr Michael Blood at the recent scholarship presentation.
The Box Hill Institute has confirmed that this year’s scholarship is awarded to Joshua O’Connor. Joshua is studying a Certificate III in Carpentry and has been identified as an aspirational student who is dedicated to improving his skills. Joshua has excelled in his apprenticeship and his individual studies. He dreams of one day working in the construction industry and owning his own formwork business. There were three other Rotary clubs present at the dinner and they sponsored the following awards:
1. The Rotary Club of Mont Albert and Surrey Hills ‘Inducement to Succeed’ Scholarship,
2. The Rotary Club of Box Hill Central “Indigenous” Scholarship,
3. Rotary Club of Forest Hill “Ford Davis Award” for an Electrotechnology/Air-Conditioning Refrigeration apprentice.
Other supporters of Box Hill Institute scholarships are Susan Fenton, MOKE Owners Association, Chris Arnost, Clayton UTZ and HESTA.
 
Read more...
Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program - Two Nursing Scholarships awarded
 
President George de Souza announced the two successful candidates for the 2023 cancer nursing scholarships recently awarded.
The Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program (ROMP) Scholarships for the 2024 academic year were gratefully accepted by registered nurses Eva Gauci (left) of Peter Copulos Cancer and Wellness Centre in Shepparton and Karla Mc Broom (right) of The Border Cancer Hospital in Albury-Wodonga.
The Camberwell Rotary Club’s long running ROMP is conducted in collaboration with Myeloma Australia, the only myeloma specific charitable organisation in Australia and with the support of many regional Rotary Clubs.
Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer. About twenty thousand people in Australia are living with myeloma and there are approximately two thousand new cases per year in Australia. ROMP celebrates the critical roles of registered nurses employed in regional cancer treatment centres and offers fully funded scholarships in cancer nursing. By upskilling committed nurses, a real difference is made in the treatment and outcomes for myeloma patients and all other cancer patients. Successful candidates complete a Graduate Certificate in Cancer Nursing conducted by Melbourne University.
Read more...
Computers to East Timor
 
The International Committee has just organized and paid for a consignment of 10 complete computer systems to go to a school in Timor Leste. The Club was contacted by Anna Matarazzo who introduced herself:
'I recently volunteered in Timor Leste at Instituto Profissional de Canossa (IPDC) and The Canossa school in Dili.
I am keen to find out how I can get/buy computers for the Canossa school (4000 children) currently they only have 25 working computers which are really old anyway). St Vincent de Paul and the Catholic Diocese of Darwin of which I’m part of are happy to find the funds to do this.'
The freight charges will be met by the Catholic Diocese of Darwin. The Pallet of 10 PC systems ready for pallet wrapping (cling wrap!) at the DIK facility West Footscray.
President's Message

George de Souza

member photo

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Camberwell.

The Camberwell Rotary Club has been proudly serving the community since 1956.
 
Our organisation like others had to pause all our “hands on” activities during the last two year’s lockdowns. However we are reinvigorated and fully focussed on our signature fund-raising events (Camberwell Art Show, Hawthorn Makers Market, Camberwell Sunday Market and Bunnings Sausage Sizzles) and the many community projects we support, both local and international. This means our members are once again able to actively engage in identifying community needs and respond to these needs with financial, in-kind and hands on support.
 
That’s what being a Rotarian is all about, and is at the core of our Club’s purpose. Our members enjoy strong friendships while willingly giving their time and effort to serve our community with a range of programs.
 
Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
 
Camberwell Rotary values diversity, equity and inclusion and has a supportive environment for people of all backgrounds. If you are looking to make a positive difference in the community, the Camberwell Rotary Club welcomes your enquiry – simply click the Contact Us button.
 
George de Souza, President 2023-2024
Member since 2016
Meeting Information
Welcome to Camberwell Rotary
We meet In Person
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
Canterbury Centre, Conochie Hall
2 Rochester Road
Canterbury, VIC 3126
Australia
We generally hold our weekly Dinner Meetings at Conochie Centre. We also meet at other interesting locations, please check Upcoming Events list. Visitors and guests are always welcome. We meet at 6:00 for a 6:30pm start and finish 8:00pm.
Venue Map
We are a socially active club of over 50 members passionate about our local and international community. Our charities are funded by the iconic annual Camberwell Art Show, the unique, monthly Hawthorn Makers Market and other activities. We thrive on the efforts of our professional, diverse, and inclusive club members’ dedicated service.
RIMERN
 
RIMERN is a multi-club Rotary project in Inner Melbourne, providing donated furniture, appliances and homewares to welfare agency clients who have experienced homelessness, domestic violence, refugee displacement, release from jail and other crises. www.rimern.org.au
Nearly every client asks for a fridge and washing machine, if we could source more, we could distribute more... but these numbers show just how much work our volunteers have done, collecting, cleaning, testing, assembling and seeing the orders out the door! Thanks everyone, our current volumes are higher still....
Click Me!
Links
Upcoming Events
View More...
The Camberwell Rotarian
Camberwell Sunday Market - Volunteer Roster
Click here to see the Roster for December 2023: CSM Signup List
The Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program
The Rotary Outreach Myeloma Program (ROMP), began in 2019 as a special program to mark the Centenary of Rotary in Australia in 2021. Camberwell Rotary Club joined with Myeloma Australia, the only myeloma specific charity in Australia, to build awareness of myeloma and Rotary Club support for myeloma patients and their families living in regional and remote Victorian communities. Today ROMP is supported by up to twenty regional Rotary Clubs across five Rotary Districts and a growing list of cancer treatment centres.
ROMP’s focus is to provide regional nursing scholarships. The scholarship is offered to select registered nurses employed in rural and regional cancer centres or clinics in Victoria to complete a Graduate Certificate in Cancer Nursing at Melbourne University. The scholarship is funded by participating Rotary clubs, their communities and sponsors. With growing support, the ROMP vision for several more scholarships seem very achievable.
 
What is Myeloma?
Myeloma, also called Multiple Myeloma, is a type of blood cancer that affects the inside of the bone marrow. It attacks the immune system causing fatigue and can lead to frequent infections.  Only half of all people diagnosed with myeloma survive beyond five years. There is no cure for myeloma. ‘We are tackling myeloma - and all cancers - in regional Victoria, one Rotary Club and one nurse at a time.' For more information see the Myeloma Australia website https://myeloma.org.au/