Just What Is a Rotarian?

Hanwell and Northfields Rotary explain all

Have you ever seen Rotarians about, perhaps collecting in the street or running a stall at a fete, and wondered just exactly what is Rotary?

EalingToday spoke to local Rotary Club President Richard Jones and found there's a lot more going on than meets the eye.

“A popular myth is that Rotary is only for wealthy men who have their own businesses and take long lunches – the answer couldn’t be further from the truth.

Rotary is a worldwide organisation, with 1.2 million members, men and women of all political and religious persuasions, aged 18 to 100 plus. Within the London Borough of Ealing we have four Rotary Clubs and a Rotaract Club. Rotaract is for those aged 18-30.

Our club, the Rotary Club of Hanwell & Northfields, meet every Tuesday evening at the Brentham Club, Meadvalere Road (just off Pitshanger Lane).

We have 27 members ranging in age from 35 to 70+, a few do have their own businesses but most are regular employees, including an Undertaker, Bankers, a Builder, a Chauffeur, Nurses and many others. Our goal is to have fun whilst helping others less fortunate than themselves.

In addition to raising funds at events such as Party in the Park and the Brentford Festival, we have also undertaken a sponsored walk along the Grand Union Canal from Birmingham to London in aid of The London Air Ambulance, The Wheelchair Foundation and Meadow High School. At Christmas we can usually be seen rattling buckets outside Waitrose in West Ealing.

The funds raised are used to support things like parties for local pensioners, taking children with learning difficulties to Thorpe Park, we also organise a Health Awareness Day where people can have their blood pressure tested free of charge; supporting the Stroke Association’s Health Awareness Day is always very rewarding, because you can make a real difference to someone’s life if you can spot that they have high blood pressure early.

One of the main benefits of being part of a worldwide organisation is that we can channel help through local clubs so that it can get to the people that need it faster, a good example of this was the recent disaster in Burma, where because we had Rotarians “on the ground” in Burma we could get aid to the people that needed it within days.

For more information either visit www.hanwell-northfieldsrotary.org.uk or call Alan O’Neill on 07879 848574, and arrange to go along to a meeting and see for yourself – you will certainly be made to feel welcome.

September 5, 2008