The Rotary Club of Thornbury Community and Vocational Committee Chairman: Chris Marsh The Community and Vocational Committee ensures that theIdeal of Service is realised. It is responsible for: ■ Projects to help the community ■ Responding to requests for assistance ■ Identifying and delivering projects to help the community ■ Employing our members' skills and experience to help local people Local Rotarians are a familiar sight when shaking collection buckets outside Tesco (left) or manning the "Mulled Wine and Mince Pies" stall at the pre-Christmas Victorian Fair (right). But we do much more than fund-gathering. Members provide year-round transport for the disabled and elderly to their Clubs and to various local events, and we are heavily involved in Rotary's annual "Kids Out", which provides a much-needed day  out for disabled and disadvantaged children and their carers. Last year we made especial use of our members' medical and nursing skills by running a Stroke Awareness day in Thornbury, giving members of the public a free blood-pressure check and other advice. This proved so popular that it will be repeated during 2006 - watch this space. Nationally, Rotarians throughout the British Isles will be supporting the work of the Institute of Cancer Research during 2006 and 2007. The Institute is one of the world's leading cancer research organisations and is internationally renowned for the quality of its science. It is a college of the University of London and works in partnership with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust