Dover Rotarians met other Dover Rotarians.... who live thousands of miles away.

Members of the Rotary club of Dover, here in Kent, had a Zoom link-up with their counterparts in the city of Dover in the American state of New Hampshire.

The two groups swapped details of the charity and fundraising projects they have.

Dover Rotary USA has a Three Hs crusade for the Dominican Republic, which stands for hearing, H2O and hands.

It is providing hearing aids, a water filter project and prosthetic limbs to enable improved function of artificial hands in particular.

A new prosthetics centre is also under construction over two years.

Dover NH president Jim Munro explained that while his area was relatively prosperous there was still a sizeable amount of homeless people, which his club was trying to help.

He described how the club organised the purchase of coats, hats, gloves and in particular woollen socks for protection against the cold winter in the region of New England.

Torches were also provided and a widow had knitted 140 pairs of mittens.

Mr Munro said even some working people in his area do not have enough money to provide for themselves and their families.

The club therefore provides $40 in vouchers for a store for children’s shoes every year, $10,000 worth of milk and eggs and $3,000 to schools for children's snacks. There has also been a special kitchen providing hot meals for people during the Covid pandemic.

Dover Rotary UK has a Shoebox Scheme where boxes are filled with items for people in need in Eastern Europe such as Romania.

The group has also recently presented a cheque of exactly £3,716.05 for Dover Pantry.

This is a food shop in the Charlton shopping centre that helps combat food poverty by selling quantities for £20 or more if customers are on a £5 weekly subscription.

Dover NH has a population of 32,741 and was founded in 1623. Its Rotary Club was formed in May 1924 and currently has 61 members.

Dover, Kent, has a population of 31,022 and the germ of its present form is from the Roman era as Dubris.

Its Rotary Club was formed in December 1922 and its first social activity was the provision of school boots for children whose parents were unable to provide suitable footwear.