THREE out of five prospective new members attended the annual Rotary Club Assembly on Thursday, 16 June, when incoming President, Les Southam, outlined his vision for the 2016-17 Rotary Club year.

His first priority will be the recruitment and retention of new members. New members will hopefully provide new ideas and new contacts with further potential members. All this should increase the effectiveness of the Club in fulfilling its overall aim:

‘Fun with a Purpose’!

The new president’s vision is for the Club to continue to concentrate on local issues and institutions in Chipping Campden and district, while not neglecting Rotary’s wider international responsibilities for disaster relief not least the End Polio programme.

Rotary International along with its partners has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide.

Another priority is to develop an interesting programme of meetings to include reports from students, who have been supported by the Club to go on various assignments. The club supports three or four young people each year and they come back because of their experiences as changed individuals in their attitudes to life, meanwhile having contributed to worthwhile projects.

Campden Area Home Nursing: In 2017 the Club hopes to organise a Welsh Choir recital and a further Race Night for Campden Area Home Nursing, which provides invaluable support for the final care of terminal patients and their families within a radius of twelve miles round C Campden. This service is free and depends on legacies and donations for its funding.

Tree of Life: The Club aims to continue the successful Tree of Light and popular mulled wine stall at the Christmas Fare. These provide a way of commemorating departed loved ones and raising money for a number of local charities.

Last year the Club raised more money than ever for the local community. The Race Night in November 2016 raised over £4000 for Campden Area Home Nursing to support their work within the local community. In addition the annual Tree of Light and mulled wine stall at the Christmas Fair totalled well over £2000.

Youth Speaks: The Club plans a further primary school public speaking competition. This has been going for over twenty five years and provides valuable educational experience for young pupils - so successful that a sixth local primary school applied to join the competition in 2016. The Club is also considering entering a senior school team into a Rotary District Youth Speaks Competition, thus strengthening its links with the wider Rotary movement.

Grants to young people: The Club will continue supporting a limited number of students aiming to go on worthwhile projects.

New Pattern of Meetings: From July the Club will normally meet for a dinner meeting on the second and fourth Thursdays in the month instead of weekly.

New members and enquirers are always welcome at our meetings at the Cotswold House Hotel at 7 for 7.30pm. Membership is open to women and men.

Email: chippingcampdenrotary@gmail.com or telephone 01386 841163/840990.

JAMES R ANDERSON