The Rotary Club of Keynsham Chew Valley What is Rotary? 'Service above Self'

Rotary is an organisation of business and profesional men and women, united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

It was the world's first 'service club'. The first Rotary Club was founded by Paul Harris in Chicago in the US on 23 February 1905. Now it includes some 1.2 million men and women in nearly 27,000 clubs in virtually every country of the world. Rotarians meet weekly for fellowship, with interesting and informative programmes which deal with topics of local and global importance. membership is by invitation only, and reflects a wide cross-section of the local community.

The movement carries out a remarkable variety of humanitarian, educational and cultural programmes which touch people's lives both in the local community and in a worldwide context.

The Rotary Foundation charity provides some $60 million for international scholoarships, cultural exchanges and humanitarian projects large and small, which improve the quality of life for millions of people. Its PolioPlus project involves working with national and international health organisations with the aim of eradicating the disease by 2005, Rotary's cetenary year. More than half a billion children in developing nations have been immunised through the PolioPlus grants.

The Objects of Rotary

When a new member joins Rotary, most Clubs read out the Objects of Rotary. These put in a simple form what the Rotary movements strives to achieve.The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of high ethical standards in business and profession; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal business and community life. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a worldwide fellowship of business and professional persons in the ideal of service.

To contact us please e-mail Dr. Michael Dovey at msd@classicfm.net