I am intensely proud to be the 95th President of The Rotary Club of Canterbury, one of the oldest Rotary Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland. Although I lead the club, it’s the members that deserve the credit for all we do.
I am only the figurehead and next year I will ‘return to the ranks’ when it will be somebody else’s privilege to occupy the presidential position. But all the while I wear the presidential chain of office I will encourage the club to continue focusing on the things we do well - and to embark on some new initiatives too.
But what is Rotary all about and what makes it different from other service organisations? “Rotary is a spirit, a state of mind and a course of conduct and action within each individual Rotarian. The ways of ‘living’ Rotary are boundless, but for the most part, they originate within me and you”. So wrote my Presidential predecessor, the late David Thompson, in his New Year message to the club when he was President in the Rotary Year 1971/1972. His words resonate down the years and they are as fresh today as they were when they were written some 45 years ago.
Rotary is about ME as a person providing SERVICE to OTHERS.
During my Presidential Year I want the club to examine ways to better support homeless people in Canterbury and to develop ways to more adequately support young people via relevant and challenging projects. With the club’s Centenary a mere five years away, I am starting to look how we might celebrate that auspicious occasion.
But Rotary isn’t all work and no play. As well enjoying each other’s company whilst working on local projects, we also like to have fun and the social aspect of Rotary is very important too. During my year we will be enjoying a musical picnic, our annual Christmas Dinner, a special musical Valentine’s Dinner and in May we welcome members from our European contact clubs to Canterbury for the annual Pentangular Gathering.
It will be a busy year for me – but I hope, too, fulfilling.
If you are interested in joining our great club, or want more information about Rotary, in general, click this link HERE for our contact form.
