'Rotary' is short for Rotary International- a worldwide association of locally based clubs for men and women in business and the professions who;
· Provide humanitarian service to the community at local, national and international level
· Encourage high ethical standards in all vocations
· Work for goodwill and peace in the world
Rotary was founded in 1905 and now has over 1.2million members in more than 28,000 clubs in 155 countries and 35 geographical regions. There are 1,800 clubs in Great Britain and Ireland with over 61,000 members
'Service above Self' is Rotary’s motto.
THE ROTARY CLUB OF BRADFORD
PRESIDENT 2008-9; PHILLIP M SHARP.
SECRETARY; MARTIN J MUMFORD, Tel/Fax; 0113 267 9681.
We meet every Friday at 12.30pm for lunch at 12.45pm at Spring Bank Hall, Spring Bank Place, Bradford. The meeting finishes at 2.00pm. Every Rotarian has the right to attend the meeting of any other club and guests can be invited. Most meetings include a talk after lunch on a subject of general interest by an outside speaker. These meetings promote acquaintance and fellowship and are the basis for Rotarians inspiration to serve the community. Members are encouraged to attend every week, but Rotary can adapt to any lifestyle, absences for business, holidays and other reasons can all be accomodated.
SERVICE BY BRADFORD ROTARY CLUB
Support is given to many national and international charities, not always financially, but also by personal 'hands on' effort by members. The highlight of 2008 is 'Stepping Out For Charity' a fund raising walk of 21 miles along the river Wharfe in aid of The Cave Rescue Organisation and The Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue, two local rescue groups much of whose 2007 funding was missing due to cancellation of the Broughton Game Show due to torrential rain. We are particularly impressed with their wholly volunteer personnel and the value of their services to people and animals working or enjoying recreation in the Yorkshire Dales.
COMMUNITY SERVICE. Chairman; Robert Goring. Deputy; Valerie Binney. We support many Bradford charities including helping the fight against illegal drugs through our support for Bradford’s Life Education initiative. We also help at the Schools Technology Tournament where teams of scholars use simple materials to accomplish complex tasks. Responsible leadership is encouraged by a Rotary Youth Leadership course. For the elderly we have a season of concerts for the elderly at residential homes, always well received by the residents. A recent new project is to support Otley Sailing club 'Sailability' scheme for disabled children to learn to sail under supervision in specially adapted dinghies. We have assisted planting daffodil bulbs along Thornton Road.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE. Chairman; Geoffrey Nixon. A wide range of International charities are supported both financially and by 'hands on' projects. Rotary is particularly careful to support only charities and schemes which are free from corruption abroad and provide cost effective benefit, a marked contrast to government foreign aid which often appears to disappear without reaching it's target. A range of social events and collections through the year provide funds to send to many projects.
CLUB SERVICE. Membership Development; Jack Doyle. Bulletin Editor; Geoffrey Kenure. Inter-Club Relations; Eric Bentham. Speaker Finder; Geoffrey Toothill. Treasurer; Maurice Smithies. Communications and Public Relations; Jack Smith and John Parker. Environment; Peter Clough.
ROTARY FOUNDATION. Chairman; Mike Smith. This is Rotary's own charity and members contribute a sum of their own choice. By keeping the cash on deposit for two years, the interest pays all administration costs so leaving 100% of the money for charitable purposes. The two 'flagship' programmes are 'Polio Plus' and 'Peace Studies'. Polio Plus is a project started in 1985 by Rotary and the World Health Organisation to rid the world of Polio. The task is 99% complete and the 'Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation' (Microsoft) have donated $100 million for completion of the project. 'Peace Studies' provide scholarships for suitable students to do a MSc in 'Peace and Conflict Resolution' at six universities across the world. One is at Bradford University.
MEMBERSHIP. If you would share the ideals of Rotary and would like to know more you can visit website www.ribi.org (LINK BELOW) or contact our secretary (phone number above)who can arrange for you to visit as a guest. We have an information committee who will invite you to a meeting and outline the privileges and obligations of membership. There are several clubs in the Bradford area who meet at different times and different days to suit all circumstances. 2005 was a special year for Rotary, one hundred years since the first four met to consider forming a club to foster fellowship and service. Do you wish to join us?
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