How and Why I joined Rotary

I first came across Rotary in the late 1990’s when I was the Salvation Army Officer (Church minister) in an Essex seaport.  I was also the Regional ecumenical officer and Chaplain to the local docks.  I was invited to the local Rotary Club to speak and share my work experience and upon accepting the engagement, receiving a donation towards the work of The Salvation Army.

Attending my first meeting was a rather strange experience.  A gratis meal was greatly appreciated by myself as I always enjoy my food.  Then I delivered my address.  After my talk, I was asked to leave as the club continued its business and, as a non-Rotarian, their club policy demanded.

However, I must stress that since that initial visit, all other Rotary clubs I’ve attended have done things differently.  Never again have I known an invited non-Rotarian guest speaker been asked to leave the room in order for the club to continue its meeting.

I then changed churches and moved to an Essex Market Town.  Again, I was invited along to the local Rotary Club as a guest speaker.  They made me feel very welcome and tried to encourage me to join them.  However, I resisted their advances as their meeting clashed with a regular work commitment and I have always said that I would only join groups if I could commit and be involved. Knowing that I could seldom make any of this clubs meetings meant that I didn’t take up the invitation to join.

In 2003, I moved to Kidderminster and again was invited along to Rotary. This time, the weekly meeting did not clash with any work commitments and I happily became a Rotarian.  Because of the nature of my vocation, I had no social networks outside of church life and Rotary offered me the opportunity of developing friendship and enjoying the fellowship of other Rotarians. 

My membership of the Rotary Club of Hucknall began in 2006 when I took up a new appointment in Nottingham.  Again, being a member of Rotary gave me the opportunity to extend my limited network and make new friends outside of the business/social circles I moved in. 

The last few years have been very traumatic as my marriage broke-up, I left the ministry and at times, it felt like I was starting over all again.  Without the support of my friends in Rotary, I don’t know how I would have coped.  Hucknall Rotary Club has become a very important part of my life, my fellow Rotarians have helped me practically and I greatly value the friendships I have made.  Our meetings can be jovial affairs as good natured banter is often shared, with no-one omitted.  That all adds to the enjoyment.  We work together planning events and activities for our local community and these shared endeavours deepen our friendships and our fellowship together.

Rotary’s motto is “Service about Self.”  We join Rotary not for our own selfish reasons or personal advancement, but to jointly use the different abilities we have as a group to serve our local community. 

I initially joined Rotary in order to put something back into the broader community and to develop contacts that would not have been available to me, however I have found that Rotary has done far more for me personally in knowing that together we are making a difference, than anything I could have done individually.

If you are reading this and are wondering how you can contribute to your local community but you don’t know where to begin, I thoroughly recommend that you consider becoming a Rotarian.  I can honestly say that joining my local Rotary Club is the best decision I have ever made.  I strongly encourage you to do the same (if you haven’t already), you will not be disappointed.