About Us
Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland is the association of Rotary clubs within England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. We have over 1,800 clubs consisting of more than 50,000 men and women from all walks of life.
Our clubs are based in local communities where members meet on a regular basis to enjoy friendship, networking and to plan projects that will benefit the lives of others. Clubs utilise the skills, expertise and dedication of their members to help improve the lives of people in communities both at home and abroad. We are community champions who stand up for our communities both locally and overseas. We support those who need help, we strive to improve lives and we bring about positive change in our neighbourhoods. Every event, initiative or project that we run – whether it is local, national, international or online – is rooted in the notion of community. This is because we believe that society works better when communities work together
Local— Our clubs carry out a huge range of activities and projects at home aimed at improving and building community spirit. Many charities are appreciative of their local Rotary club for the money they receive through initiatives such as sponsored bike rides, Christmas collections and swimathons. A huge amount of hands on work is also carried out by members, such as organising and supervising days out for disadvantaged children, volunteering at local residential homes, and working with schools to run competitions. The list of local projects and initiatives is endless. Each Rotary club individually tailors the projects they get involved in to their community’s specific needs.
National — Across Great Britain and Ireland, clubs often come together to collectively support our national initiatives such as Know Your Blood Pressure Day and Community Emergency Support, which provides assistance to communities following major emergencies or disasters. Our clubs support a range of national charities and often collectively support other national initiatives such as Children in Need. We also pull together to help communities elsewhere in Great Britain
International —Our members carry out a wealth of international programmes and activities all over the world, reaching out to people in need. In many countries, millions die of starvation and from diseases that could be prevented by clean water, proper sanitation or medicines. Rotary members in Great Britain and Ireland use their skills and links to clubs in other countries to alleviate some of the causes of poverty. Other projects include eradication of hunger and malnutrition; reduction of child mortality, disease prevention and education for all. When natural disasters strike, anywhere in the world, Rotarians are usually the first people to take action, organising collections and raising large sums of money for the various charities that are best equipped to provide relief for those in need.
History — The first Rotary club was founded in 1905 when four friends met in Chicago to discuss how they could work together to help the wider community. Rotary has since grown internationally to more than 1.2 million members across 200 coun-tries. In 1914 the organisation moved across the Atlantic and the British Association of Rotary Clubs was established. The association was renamed Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland in 1924.
The 2016 Polio Project — Grow Your Own Crocus was launched by the RIBI to help educate children about — a crippling disease that kills and paralyses young children. The purple crocus symbolises the purple dye that is painted on the fingers of children to show they have been immunised. The 50000 Crocuses planted locally, should be coming up any time soon !
If you want to have a chat about becoming involved in Rotary, call David Ambrose Smith on: 01353 861010 If you want to find out more about our Rotary Club. Take a look at our website: www.littleportrotary.org.uk