The speaker at Irvine Seagate Rotary’s meeting on Monday was John Dunlop from Ayr.

Ayr Rotary are organising a sponsored walk on May 8 next year, to raise funds for the charity Aquabox. Open to everyone, participants will walk two miles along Ayr seafront, then two miles back carrying water as a reminder of the reality of everyday life for many people in developing countries.

Aquabox is a first response charity that provides simple water filters for use in disaster situations. The 0.02 micron filters remove all harmful pathogens such as typhoid and produce clean drinking water.

Designed and produced by Rotarians, it costs £25 and will last for up to 500,000 litres of water.

There were questions from members and it was noted that this is much more efficient than delivering truckloads of pallets of bottled water. A Vote of Thanks was proposed by President Hugh Hutchison.

Seagate are arranging a donation of toys for the local Barnardos at Christmas, and it is hoped that the long postponed Dragon Boat racing will take place next July.