In February, Watford Rotary will be celebrating 100 years of service to the community in Hertfordshire.
This was a time which marked a dramatic rise in the number of Rotary clubs in Great Britain & Ireland in the wake of the First World War.
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1920’s
In its first 25 years, Watford Rotary sponsored a new club in St Albans, endowed a ward in the Peace Memorial Hospital, ran a car service for the blind and started an International Friendship Club for refugees following World War Two.
Michael Hammond is this year’s club President, and Watford Rotary’s longest serving member.
He said: “I first joined a charitable organisation after serving my National Service in Egypt and at 20, in order to maintain the camaraderie of the RAF, I joined Round Table, where unhappily, at 40, we had to resign to join a similar group called Rotary International.
“In Round Table which, incidentally, was founded by a Watford Rotarian, we rushed around digging gardens, painting houses, and heading up the Watford Carnival dressed like Pirates.
There are many ways we have approached fund-raising, but I am pleased to report the camaraderie I found when I first joined remains in the way we work together.”
“Rotary was, and is, more forward-looking and measured in its approach to problems across the world, being involved in so many projects to do with education, earthquakes, floods, hardship, medical projects, plagues and tsunamis.
“I was immediately involved, and became excited by all the different avenues and means of raising funds for Watford and south-west Hertfordshire, as well as for the international projects.”
An example of Watford Rotary’s involvement in Europe followed World War Two when the club helped thousands of misplaced people who found themselves on the wrong side of the borders between the western Allies and Communist countries. Architect and Rotarian Henry Colbeck worked hard to repatriate people back to their homelands.
Today, explained Michael Hammond, Watford Rotary features a mixture of talents and professions.
He added: “During my 48 years of membership, I have met and worked with some very clever people and enjoyed many wonderful visits abroad and in the UK.
“There, our universal connections are instant and effective in developing a network of like-minded individuals who work together to tackle local, national and international needs through projects that cross borders, as well as work closely in our own community here in Watford and south-west Hertfordshire.
“For example, sponsoring local schools to develop creativity, together with specific charitable fundraising such as the ShelterBox appeal.”
In turning the clock back over the past century, the Watford Rotary President reflected on the club’s support for the Jarrow marches in the 1920s, and its campaigning for a Peace Memorial Hospital in the 1930s, which is now a hospice.
Watford Rotary Club now features a mix of talents, professions and backgrounds amongst it’s membership
1940’s
In the 1940s, despite wartime restrictions, the Rotary club was able to give substantial post war donations, for example to the ‘Help Holland Appeal’.
“This was an appeal which, I recall, being spoken of years later by individuals who had benefited from the food drops which Rotary had facilitated,” added Michael.
Since its inception Watford Rotary has supported its local hospital and in the 1940s, Ward C became the Rotary Club of Watford Ward.
In response to the recovery of Europe after the war, the club organised equipment and clothing to be sent to refugee camps in Germany and Czechoslovakia (now known as the Czech Republic and Slovakia).
1950’s
By 1955, Watford Rotary had a membership 67-strong which started up a Meals on Wheels project, an international languages club and supported holidays to Worthing for the underprivileged.
1960’s
During the 1960s, the club provided an ambulance for the St John’s Ambulance and funded a technical training award alongside other donations.
Today, Watford Rotary takes part in projects that benefit local, national and international causes.
1970’s
And in the 1970s, Watford Rotary was very active socially organising one of the highlights of the year, the Beggars Ball at Watford Town Hall which brought in large donations from industry and individuals.
1980’s
Michael Hammond said that in the 1980s he and other Rotarians were active with driving for the blind and helping rebuild the Blind Centre, as well as supporting Talking Books for the Blind.
2000’s
Looking abroad, the club actively fundraised for Nepal when the Himalayan country suffered a massive earthquake, and provided help for the Philippines following the tsunami.
More recently, the club has been supporting vulnerable people in the Watford area affected by the cost of living crisis. “There are many ways we have approached fund-raising, but I am pleased to report the camaraderie I found when I first joined remains in the way we work together, as does the need in the modern world for organisations such as Rotary to give to causes,” added Michael.
“The rather small Rotary Wheel badge we wear with much pride is an instant introduction to millions of likeminded people world-wide and I feel privileged to be a part of an organisation that has changed and evolved and as we enter the Watford Club’s 100th year, yet still has opportunity to continue to act to support, and impact the world and local community.”
