To celebrate Rotaract Week we would love to raise awareness of Rotaract. Please help us do this by signing up to this Thunderclap. By signing up to it using your Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr account a post will be sent out about Rotaract on your behalf on March 14th at 12.30pm GMT. It only takes a minute (or less) to sign up – we really appreciate your support!
At our meeting on Wednesday Cardiff University Rotaract had the pleasure of welcoming three students who have come all the way over from Germany! Carina and her two friends Martina and Stefan joined us for our meeting and we got to fill them in on what we have been up to over the past year and what we have planned for the next few months. After we finished filling them in Carina showed us some of the cool merchandise that her club back in Germany had, most of it made by Carina herself!
What did we discuss at our meeting? Well we talked about our upcoming projects and Lukas told us about some great ideas he had for the future. We are looking forward to a busy few months! Below are just two of our upcoming projects.
Next month we will be helping Ninian Park Primary School to revamp their…
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Has your Rotaract club worked on an amazing service project? Or have you twinned with another club to organise a great joint project? If yes, apply for the Best Rotaract European Service Project (BESP) and Twin Club Award?!
All the details, including the application forms and judging process can be found here: http://rotaracteurope.org/2014/01/besp-and-tca-20132014-applications-are-opened/
Good luck!
RGBI is proudly hosting it’s first ever training event for club officers (on the 25th Jan from 10am – 4pm in Edinburgh) – and you’re invited! It will be a great day packed with ideas for Rotaractors and Rotarians alike, and although very early in the process of elections, will hopefully have Rotaractors thinking about an officer role for the next Rotaract year, Rotarians discussing the hot topics of the day, and some ‘almost 30s’ talking about the next steps in the Rotary family.
The cost is only £5 which is to cover lunch which will be provided by a local shop, a social enterprise employing almost exclusively homeless people in a bid to provide a stable lifestyle. An online registration form is available for both Rotaractors and Rotarians, so please follow the relevant link and book up! We will also welcome any Rotarian that might find it interesting, and we hope to run a session for Rotarians who want to learn more about Rotaract.
Places are limited for this event, so book now and don’t miss out!
Guest blog post by Richard Blackman
How long were you a member of Rotaract?
10 years from 1978 until 1988.
My Father was a member of the sponsoring Rotary club and when I started in Rotaract, I introduced myself to Rotarians (particularly in the preparations for Interota ’87) as the son of Rotarian Bill Blackman. By the time I left Rotaract he was introducing himself as the Father of Rotaractor Richard Blackman.
Which club(s) were you a member of?
I was a founder member of Dover Rotaract and remained a member until I left at the old age of 29 (the age group for Rotaract was then for 18-28)
Which 5 words would you use to describe Rotaract?
Life changing
Philanthropic
Educational
Fun
What did you enjoy about being a member of Rotaract?
I have many happy memories of my time in Rotaract during which:
Speaking at Interota in 1987
What type of activities did your club get involved in?
We did many of the usual activities such as gardening, painting and decorating, visiting the elderly, running a stall at the hospital fete, helping local groups, and helping our sponsoring Rotary club.
Due to our geographical location we were able to assist moving handicapped travellers en route to Lourdes from the train station at Dover Western docks on board cross channel ships prior to sailing.
We also assisted with the organisation for a group of Dutch Rotaractors to cycle.. (yes cycle!) across the English channel
Cycling across the Channel in 1987!
We were very active is supporting local Rotaract clubs, there were 32 clubs in District 112 (as it was then) covering Kent, East Sussex and South East London and there was always plenty going on around the District with music quizzes (we had a couple of DJ’s in our club), camping rallies, silly sports days (welly throwing, pram racing and many other strange things!). Part of the enjoyment of Rotaract is just meeting new people and making new friends.
Most club activities started or ended at a local hostelry, when we weren’t going out we would often congregate in the hostelry which became, for many of us, our refuge. The current Rotaract club now meets there.
In the bar 🙂
What were your highlights as a Rotaractor?
Pulling Concord!
Fellowship ’84
When I left Rotaract in 1988 there were 36 Rotaract clubs in my District. When I joined Rotary in 2008, there was just 1 club. Since then I have been appointed District Rotaract Chairman (the Rotarian responsible for Rotaract in my District) we currently have 3 chartered Rotaract clubs and anticipate chartering another one in the next couple of months, and I am currently serving a second year on the RIBI Rotaract committee.
There are many Rotarians throughout Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) who, like me, were Rotaractors and who:
My vision is for there to be a Rotaract club in every town, city and University throughout RIBI to enable young people to experience the fulfillment of service and the fellowship that I and others have enjoyed through Rotaract.
Guest blog post by Mick Steward
How long were you a member of Rotaract?
10 years, from 1974 to 1984 – I look back at that time with great fondness and pleasure.
Which club(s) were you a member of?
Central London
Which 5 words would you use to describe Rotaract?
A great way to meet friends!
What did you enjoy about being a member of Rotaract?
There was always so much to do whether it was with my own club, Central London or jointly with other clubs or on a district basis. The district events had added importance as we were a fairly small club of about 15 members.
We had events which were held on an annual basis, like camping rallies which also featured custard pie throwing, open to clubs throughout RGBI, and various sports days which catered for those with little or no ability but just wanted to take part!
What type of activities did your club get involved in?
Most club activities centred around the fortnightly meetings which included quiz nights, guest speakers or planning for future events. We would support local Rotary in their charity events and vice a versa. The full range of activities are too many to give a mention to.
What were your highlights as a Rotaractor?
I would like to recall how honoured I was to serve as Chairman for District 113 in 1980-81. At the time there were 35 plus clubs with further clubs being established. The strength of clubs varied with support being given to smaller ones to keep going. I would regularly attend a Rotaract event 5/6 nights a week and topped 300 during the year. This included both Rotary and Rotaract conferences.
I was able to make lasting friends and have recently attended another Rotaract wedding to prove that you are never too old! Having recently met a current Rotaractor I am pleased to hear the members in District 1130 (previously known as 113) are still very passionate and excited about Rotaract and the opportunities it brings.
