Rotary Magazine

Meet Wallasey Rotary Club, based on the Wirral in north-west England, with a visionary approach towards growing membership.

This year, Rotary International will establish the environment as the seventh Area of Focus. By making this move, which has been suggested for many years, this will give Rotarians even more ways to bring about positive change in the world and increase our impact.

Rotary President Shekhar Mehta spoke at COP26 where his focus was on saving the planet with mangrove trees.

Following the discovery of poliovirus in London, how likely is it that the disease will return to these shores?

The environment has become Rotary’s seventh area of focus at a time when the world’s infrastructure is crumbling. We see the images of horrendous disasters, such as flooding and drought, but what is the reality? Lucy Carr from ShelterBox, Rotary’s project partners in disaster relief, tells about life on the front line.

The Atlantic hurricane season has started, with experts predicting four major hurricanes will sweep the region. ShelterBox will be at the heart of humanitarian efforts in the region.

As Rotary begins to focus efforts on its new Area of Focus, the environment, what about the impact of publishing this magazine?

Dave King visits HM Prison Parc in Wales to learn about an innovative Rotary-led programme working with prisoners.

Rotary Polio Ambassador, Ade Adepitan, talks about filming the BBC series ‘Climate Change: Ade on the Frontline’.

As Rotary’s one and only charity, The Rotary Foundation is involved in funding and supporting hundreds of projects each year around the world in Rotary’s cause areas.

A Rotary poster competition to coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference attracted almost 4,000 entries from children, with many going on display in Glasgow.

A guide to how Rotarians can make their Rotary clubs inclusive and enjoyable places to everyone through their behaviour.

What started as a small project by two Rotary clubs in Derbyshire has grown on an international scale.

A broad overview of The Rotary Foundation, how it works and what it has achieved since the Rotary International President, Arch Klumph initially set it up in 1917,

Abingdon Vesper Rotary’s initiative of adopting a school appeal to build a fuel saving eco-stove, won the Rodney Huggins’ Rotary GB&I environmental project award. Maya Smeulders, from the Oxfordshire club, describes how the project works.

BERNADETH Cabusog is a 34-year-old farmer and mother-of-two from the Philippines who has received loans from Lendwithcare, including from Stevenage Grange Rotary.

A story highlighting the incredible work done by The Rotary GB&I Disaster Recovery Trust and the kind of projects they are looking to support.

Here are five more projects run by Rotary clubs in Great Britain and Ireland which demonstrate the power of partnership in changing the lives of others through The Rotary Foundation.

Rotaract isn’t just the future of Rotary but they are the leaders of the present. With their modern projects and fresh perspectives, they’re the ones to set new project trends.

FEBCO (Financing Energy Business Cooperative) is the first energy cooperative in Malawi and has been supported by Bury St Edmunds Rotary in Suffolk.

Gloria Barnett from Canterbury Sunrise Rotary in Kent is known as ‘The Weird Fish Lady’. An author and an environmentalist, she has been a popular speaker during the lockdown.

Rotary clubs, experts, and governments are tackling loneliness with meaningful interactions, Rotary Editor, Dave King visits a club in West Sussex which is trying to tackle loneliness and bridging generations.

Tom Hunt, who is the Endowment and Major Gifts Advisor, starts a conversation about the importance of Rotarians donating to The Rotary Foundation and offers and opportunity for members to get in touch.

A guide to the many different ways you can set up a Rotary club so that no potential members miss out.

Find out how the Direct membership Network can take Rotary into the future whilst complementing existing Rotary clubs.

The Rotary Foundation brings together clubs from across the world working together to fund major projects through their financial pulling power. Here’s how successful Rotary partnerships were forged to build a series of wells in Sri Lanka.

The Peace Advocate Project is a charity set up by Scottish Rotarians Jean and Keith Best, from Newton Stewart Rotary, enabling young people to become peace advocates in schools and community groups. Here they tell the story behind what they have achieved in reaching out to youngsters across Great Britain and Ireland.

How a Rotary project that started in Manchester nearly 50 years ago has come to provide disaster relief all over the world, even in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Volunteers in Wales, and along the route of the River Severn, are taking a stand against plastic pollution which has brought together communities.

TV icon, Dame Esther Rantzen, was one of the guests for series 3 of togetherTalks. As part of the live event, she discussed some of the lessons learned from the lockdown.

With the death of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in April, aged 99, Rotary lost a true friend.

An insight into what Global Grants are and a detailed explanation of how they work can be received by Rotary clubs, as well as your key contact details.

East Gippsland in Victoria was a focal point for the devastating Australian bush fires which have ravaged the tinder dry land since September. Rotarian Janne Speirs, who lives in East Gippsland and is Chair of the Emergency Management Committee for Rotary District 9820, tells her story.

The concept of starting a Rotaract club can be seen as difficult and even daunting but that is not the case at all. We are here to support you and make this journey quick and enjoyable.

James Barrett, a Rotarian from Suffolk has written a novel, The Club, which is all about Rotary. The novel was published earlier this year by Troubador Publishing and is focused on the fictional Rotary Club of Debenham.

Jim Wilson is a Past President of Norwich Marchesi Rotary, and a former chairman of Norfolk Police Authority. Here, he writes about why Rotary should become active in the campaign against child sexual abuse.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II heralded the end of a remarkable reign and the dawn of a new age with King Charles III. However, what is unlikely to change is the Royal Family’s long-standing and close association with Rotary.

Alison Sutherland is the current District Governor for Southern Wales, and chairs the Rotary Action Group for Peace. Here, she discusses what the action group is trying to achieve in an ever-changing world.

The past 12 months have been busy for Aidan O’Leary, Director for Polio Eradication at the World Health Organization – the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, high-profile detections of polio in London and New York, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and wild polio detections in Malawi and Mozambique. Here, Aidan discusses those challenges.

Following the Taliban’s sudden takeover of Afghanistan, what hope is there of wiping out polio in one of its last strongholds?

From sponsorship opportunities to business expertise, corporate membership can bring many benefits to Rotary clubs.

Rotary clubs are always looking for new ways of fund-raising. In Penzance, south-west England, they are reaping the benefits of opening town centre shops.

In November, the world marked the centenary of Armistice Day, 100 years since the First World War came to an end. In this edition of Rotary magazine, we reflect on Rotary’s role during the conflict.

With war still raging in Ukraine, what impact is Rotary having providing humanitarian aid to countries affected by the conflict?

Meet Donna Wallbank, who in July becomes the new President of Great Britain & Ireland. The hairdresser from South Wales is looking forward to her new role.

From royalty, to the inventor of fried chicken, here are just some of Rotary’s most famous members.

A collection of key questions relating to The Rotary Foundation answering questions such as how it functions, how can clubs use it and what it actually is.

Editor Dave King visited Delhi in January, along with Rotarians from across the world, to help with India’s fight against polio during one of the country’s National Immunisation Days.

It is a novel approach addressing the growing problem of homelessness. Get hold of a double decker bus, convert it, and create a mobile shelter. Rodney Howell reports how this Rotary-led project is working in Birmingham. Please note the image above is an artist’s impression of how the finished bus may look.

Lady Philippa Dannatt is the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk and a trained counsellor. Here she describes first-hand the scale of child abuse which is going on behind closed doors.

Innovative solutions require thinking outside the box – and that is exactly what Rotaract does best.

In February, devastating earthquakes struck southern Turkey and north-west Syria killing over 50,000 and injuring many more. Ray Seager from Minster on Sea Rotary Club in Kent (pictured below) visited the region thanks to a meeting with a lady called Maya.

In January 2020, Rotary International forged a strategic alliance with Toastmasters International. But what does that mean in practice?

The Deal Rotary Pirates have become one of the fastest growing Rotary clubs in the United Kingdom through their unique approach to fund-raising which has won over their local community.

Former world champion boxer, Frank Bruno, knows all about the school of hard knocks, and picking yourself off the canvas. Here, Frank talks about one of the biggest battles he has had to conquer – his own mental health.

Since 1994, Father Peter Walters, a Rotarian from Stratford-upon-Avon, has been working in the notorious Colombian city of Medellín, trying to keep marginalised children from the clutches of drugs gangs.

The Irish capital played host to Rotaractors from across Europe for four days of connecting and sharing ideas.

A few years ago, Colin was homeless and facing desperate times. He’s now left a legacy of working with Rotary, helping those dealing with life on the streets.

Cheryle Berry and Jannine Birtwistle of the Rotary GB&I Humanitarian Service Team summarise the variety of ways Rotarians across Great Britain and Ireland have offered their support to Ukraine over the past year.

Scot Gordon McInally has become the fifth Rotary International President from Great Britain & Ireland after taking office on July 1st. Editor Dave King went to meet him in his own back yard.

Down in Frome, Somerset, the local Rotary clubs have experienced overwhelming success after opening town centre shops.

In my role as Rotary Specialist Adviser Team Lead for Membership, I come across many questions which are repeated many times. Here are just a few.

Beverley Ricketts, co-chair of Rotary Alumni 1210, describes how the Rotary Books4Home project has now supplied 70,000 books to children, many of whom previously had no books to read at home.

Wars are won and lost on the home front. Rotary clubs in the British Isles between 1914 and 1918 were well placed, not only to help out the community, but also those servicemen returning from the bloody battlefields of war.

Twelve months on from the outbreak of COVID-19 in the British Isles, what has the impact been and how has Rotary volunteers responded?

James Innes is an entrepreneur, the author of several best-selling careers help books, and founder of the James Innes Group. A member of Rotary London, he writes candidly about his struggles with depression.

Meet Dr. Mathew Varghese, the inspirational orthopaedic surgeon from New Delhi, who was once described by polio champion Bill Gates as one of his heroes.

Rotary clubs across London and the Home Counties have been handing out blankets and other unwanted items from the Australian airline, Qantas. Dave King finds out why.

An explanation of how the Rotary Foundation is funded and how it is distributed to projects around the world.

Australian Ian Riseley was President of Rotary International from 2017/18. He stated how protecting the environment and curbing climate change were essential to Rotary’s goal of sustainable service. Here Ian reflects on Rotary’s role at the forefront of environmental change.

James Thomas, who heads up Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland, discusses how first Rotary and then Rotaract have provided major influences on his life.

Andrew Argo from Dundee Rotary explains how they are working with the charity FareShare to tackle hunger and food waste in the Scottish city.

As Eve Conway prepares to take on the role as the Rotary International Director for the region, she discusses her goals for the next two years.

Ginny Williams-Ellis was once a literacy tutor at Dorchester Prison in Dorset. The cramped Victorian buildings once housed around 300 male prisoners, before shutting in 2014.

A Rotary task force and its ambassadors take aim at the gender gap.

During his term as President of Rotary International, Gordon McInally will focus on three presidential initiatives that Create Hope in the World.

Running a marathon is tough. Running those 26 miles as a woman in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is tougher. This is one Rotarian’s story of how he made the incredible happen with some brave Afghan women.

So, you want to get started and grow your membership, where do you get started?

When the Gorkha earthquake ripped through Nepal in April 2015, it left a trail of devastation and death. Rotary clubs across Great Britain & Ireland have been at the heart of rebuilding this Himalayan nation.

A look at the work of the Rotary Inter-Country Committees during the Ukraine conflict.

Rotarians across the British Isles are volunteering at Covid clinics – and they’re in it for the long haul. Dave King reflects on his first day working at a vaccination centre in Hampshire.

Rotary clubs across the nation found creative ways of getting involved with the war effort, from fundraising to putting on entertainment for the troops.

Pakistan remains one of the last strongholds of polio. Dr. Abdirahman Mahamud, who is leading the battle, explains how they are trying to win the hearts and minds of people in the country.

The High Sheriff of Wiltshire, Nicky Alberry, explains how important Rotary has become in helping her campaign to tackle domestic abuse.

Jim and Jenny Banks from Stonehaven Rotary in Aberdeenshire have been involved in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards scheme for more than 30 years. Here they reflect on a golden age of developing youngsters’ thinking and physical skills.

On November 6th, 1986, Pushp Vaid was at the controls of a Chinook helicopter which crashed into the sea off the Shetland Islands. It was the worst ever civilian helicopter crash, killing 45 of the 47 people on board.

The Rotary Foundation offers various types of scholarships for graduate and undergraduate students, all with a vision for the future and helping educate the leaders of tomorrow.

Meet Captain Sir Tom Moore, the centenarian Rotarian who lifted the spirits of the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They may be separated by the Atlantic Ocean, some 3,500 miles apart, but Rotary is bringing together clubs in Southampton, England, and Southampton, Canada thanks to a legacy stretching back to the Second World War.

The Rotary Foundation Scholars average between 200 and 300 each year, all travelling to various destinations in order to expand their knowledge and take opportunities they would not otherwise have.

It is estimated 45.8 million people worldwide are trapped in some form of slavery, with estimates reckoning 14,000 victims are living in the UK. May’s Rotary Conference and Showcase in Nottingham will host a modern slavery symposium. In a series of articles, Dave King looks at this blight on modern society.

Twelve months on from the Taliban takover of Afghanistan, Rotarians are helping women struggling for survival, faced with food shortages and financial deprivation.

Chris Wells from Rotaract Market Harborough in Leicestershire describes his Rotaract journey of dogoodery.

Sue Campbell reports on an educational project in The Gambia, organised by Rotarians, which began with a chance meeting at Manchester Airport.

Maidenhead, sitting on the River Thames in Berkshire, is a prosperous commuter town and yet it still has its share of food poverty. Lisa Hunter from Maidenhead Bridge Rotary explains the success of the Foodshare scheme.

When the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal at 11.56 local time on April 25th, 2015, it devastated a whole nation. Michael Fernando from Yeovil Rotary in Somerset tells the story of how his club was at the forefront of a major school rebuilding project.

Mark Esho, who has polio and is a member of Leicester Novus Rotary, describes an initiative which, he hopes, will give greater access to those with a disability.

Playwright Joan Greening, from Elthorne-Hillingdon Rotary, has written a number of plays which have appeared on television and on stage, including the Edinburgh Theatre. She has been at the heart of a reading scheme for children at Northwood School in Middlesex.

At the recent Rotary International Convention, RI President-Elect Gordon McInally provided a moving message of hope detailing Rotary’s role in the fight for global peace.

In this country and abroad, Rotary clubs are engaged in a series of environmental projects. John Sayer, the Environmental Sustainability Group Secretary explains how we can all become involved.