Marlborough and District Rotary group have long been active in this area assisting with many community activities – helping make them happen – as well as raising much-needed funding. Rotary creates an opportunity to ‘give back’ something to the community, whilst also offering all members a community in itself. The Marlborough area group will welcome new members to the team, and in January, after the Christmas and New Year festivities, it’s when the focus turns to the year ahead….
The Marlborough Rotary group, part of Rotary International is involved in plenty around here. The group helps in many ways and below are just some of the activities:
- Providing Marlborough’s High St Christmas Tree and marshalling the lights switch on event
- Running the famous bank holiday Car Boot Sales at Marlborough Rugby Club
- Supporting St John’s Year 10 mock interviews
- Fundraising for Childrens Hospices at Christmas
- Organising a day trip for local Special Needs Children (historically known as ‘Kids Out’)
- Emergency fundraising for international humanitarian crises
- Assisting in fundraising for Marie Curie.
- Rotarians are also famous for helping others to park their cars on the common and elsewhere.
Rotary is about people. Rotary depends on the knowledge and professional abilities of its members and it is impressive to see what can be achieved with good planning and knowledge of local matters.
Across the world Rotary International is one of the largest ‘Service Organisations’ around. This odd term – ‘service organisation’ – means that its only purpose is to help others through fundraising or direct support.
As a bit of context and background Rotary came into existence in 1905 in Chicago when a lawyer named Paul Harris asked some business acquaintances to join him to discuss ways to help others. Subsequent meetings rotated between the offices of the founder members, giving rise to the name of the organization. Rotary has been from the outset non-political and non-religious.
For more information or to apply, e-mail: cedric.hollingsworth@gmail.com