Rotary International (R.I.) is a service organisation of business and professional leaders united worldwide to help those in need, whose motto is ‘Service Above Self’. At the same time it is a source of great fellowship and fun. It was founded in Chicago in 1905 by Paul Harris and spread quickly around the world. Eight years later it spread to Great Britain.

Membership enables meeting with Clubs world wide through visits, exchanges and twinning. As the largest voluntary organisation in the world it is able to undertake major projects, such as the eradication of polio in conjunction with the World Health Organisation. It was Rotary that facilitated a cease-fire in Sri Lanka to enable country-wide inoculations to proceed, a feat beyond the UN! However each Club is an autonomous unit, bound only by the Rules and Objects of Rotary.

OBJECTS OF ROTARY

There is a set of objectives by which the Rotary movement is motivated, it is called "The Object of Rotary" and may be summarised as follows:

The promotion of peace and goodwill through a worldwide network of business and professional people is not only commendable, but also full of fun and fellowship.

Meeting people from other walks of life in an informal atmosphere can be worthwhile and rewarding by offering the opportunity to be of service to the community in ways that may not otherwise be evident.

High ethical standards are important in business and professions, including treating others with all due respect, and acknowledging their contribution to society.

Members should always remember to act with dignity when going about their lives, both in public and in private, but particularly when they are working in the name of Rotary.

MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA

Potential Members must be recommended by a Rotarian after consideration of character, position and ability to serve. Membership of a Rotary Club is mainly restricted to people holding an executive position, or being self-employed. Originally Rotary Clubs could only have one representative of each business or profession. Now however, additional representatives are allowed although Rotary still seeks to contain a good cross section of the business and professional life of its area.

WEEKLY LUNCH MEETINGS

The normal weekly lunchtime meetings are on Mondays at Cleve Lodge, Elm Avenue, Long Eaton. They start promptly at 1-00pm with a sung Grace and finish promptly at 2-15pm. There is a 3-course meal with coffee, ten minutes of business and usually a speaker. The cost of lunch is currently £12, payable in cash into the bowl that circulates each table during lunch. A member seated at the end of a table acts as table chairman, balancing the receipts and completing a simple form for the treasurer. These meetings tend to be light-hearted and enjoyable with lots of banter, although they do follow an agenda. Included in the agenda is a ‘Good News’ slot, when any Rotarian can announce to the meeting any item of amusing or good news. There is a ‘fee’ of £1 payable to the Charity Box, which circulates during lunch for member’s small change as desired.

There are also a few lunchtime meetings where there is business instead of a speaker. These may be committee reports or special meetings such as the Election of Officers. Sometimes the Club meets in the evening instead of lunchtime to allow a little more time for speakers or business. The AGM is often an evening meeting.

COMMMITTEE MEETINGS

Each Rotarian is allocated to one of the committees described later. New Rotarians can visit all the committees with their Mentor to get to know how they all work.

Committee meetings are held monthly, usually in the evening, either at someone’s home or office. There are usually drinks and nibbles and maybe a buffet at the end. Committee meetings are where the business of the Club is discussed and provide a good opportunity to get to know a nucleus of fellow members.

VISITS AND SPORTING EVENTS

These take place in the evening though not at any fixed intervals. Visits may be for Members only, but may include wives and guests. Sporting events may be just for members of our Club or against other Clubs.

WEEKEND COMMITMENTS

Occasional weekend commitments are also possible, either social or service. For example the Club has an on going monthly commitment to transport elderly local residents to the Roosevelt Club in Long Eaton. This takes place on a Saturday and usually means about 4 Rotarians each collecting 2 or 3 folks around 1-30pm and returning them home at around 5-00pm. In reality each Rotarian has to take part every 6 to 9 months.

Social events may also take place at weekends but involvement is optional. However many Rotarians find that the fellowship and fun aspect of Rotary social events is not to be missed.

CHARTER NIGHTS.

Most Rotary Clubs celebrate their Charter Anniversary each year. This is usually on a weekday evening and is to celebrate the original Chartering of the Club. It should be the most enjoyable meeting of the Club year, with good speakers and lots of fellowship. It also provides the opportunity to meet Rotarians from other Clubs.

It is hoped that Rotarians will make every effort to support their President at this most important event. It is also possible to support the President by accompanying him to other Charters in our District, thereby relieving him of the need to drive himself.

MENTORS

In order to speed the integration of new Rotarians into the Club, a mentor is appointed for each new member. This is not likely to be the sponsor of the new member, but another senior Rotarian who is willing to take responsibility for helping the new member to meet his fellow Rotarians, and answer any questions not previously covered. It is hoped that long-term bonds will be established in this way.

ATTENDANCE.

Because Rotary is based on fellowship, which can only be achieved by taking part, there is a simple rule regarding attendance. Every Rotarian should achieve at least 60% attendance, and also must be present for 60% of the meeting time. Some Rotarians only aim for the 60% figure, whilst others target the 100% figure. However, the greater the effort that a member makes to be involved, the greater the reward.

‘Make-up’: - Of the 60% attendance necessary Rotarians need to make at least 30% at their own Club and can make up the other 30% in various ways including: -

a. Visiting another Rotary, Rotaract or Interact

b. Attending a Club service project, or a Club committee meeting.

c. By doing work or hosting on behalf of the Club on meeting day.

c. Attending District Council, a District event, or a Charter Night of any Club.

Attending an overseas Club or Conference.

Items a-d can only be claimed 14 days either side of the missed meeting, whereas e can be claimed any time during the Rotary year. A register is available at lunch-times for members to enter their ‘make-up’ details as applicable.

Apologies: - Members who cannot attend the weekly Monday luncheon meeting must phone the Secretary before 10.30am to give their apologies else they will be charged for the meal.

Leave of Absence: - Members who cannot attend luncheon meetings for 4 successive weeks should apply in writing to the Secretary for Leave of Absence. If a member is unable to attend through illness, the Club's Almoner should ensure that Leave of Absence is granted.

Resignations Requests for resignations must be submitted to the Secretary in writing. Unexpired portions of subscription are not repayable and any resignation after 30^th June will incur a minimum of half a year’s dues.

Transfers It is possible to apply for transfer to any other Rotary Club. Requests for a transfer should initially be made in writing to the Club Secretary. On transfer the portion of unexpired dues is transferred to the new club treasurer towards fees payable at the new club.

Excused Attendance Members who have retired and are of a certain age (depending upon length of membership), may apply for excused attendance, in which case the attendance rules do not apply to them.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF LONG EATON

As part of R.I. the Long Eaton Club is No 20033. However, in Great Britain and Ireland we also have a national organisation called Rotary International in Britain and Ireland (R.I.B.I.) and we are RIBI Club No 256. The first meeting of the Rotary Club of Long Eaton was held on Friday 19 March 1927 so we have just celebrated our 83rd year.

CLUB OFFICERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

The Club is run by the President and a Council of fourteen members, eight of whom are Officers of the Club (Secretary, Treasurer etc) and six who are ordinary members who wish to be Committee Chairmen. The President takes office for one year after two years as Junior (JVP) and Senior Vice (SVP). Committee Chairmen are appointed for one year and may act for 3 consecutive years only.

The Club Council meets each month throughout the Rotary year (1^st July to 30^th June). They have the final say on all Club business. Committee Chairmen report back to their committee on Councils decisions, plans and recommendations. Committees also meet monthly, before the Council, allowing members to ask their Chairman to put forward proposals to the Club Council.

Club Administration is chaired by the SVP and looks after the running of the Club and Club Events. The Almoner who reports on illness, the Registrar or attendance officer, and the Speaker Finder are part of this committee.

Community Service is chaired by the JVP and is responsible for the Club's work within the Community. It also explores ways in which members can serve the community through their respective vocations.

Vocational Service and Youth Activities. Deals with Vocational projects employing our members’ diverse knowledge and experience. This committee looks after our Interact Club, (see below), administers our Young Person scholarship (Smith-Young Award), Citizen of the Year Award and various schemes aimed at local youth. These have included music, cooking and speaking competitions and mock interviews at local schools.

Our Interact Club is based at Long Eaton school, for youngsters between the ages of 14 and 18. Interact has its own President and Officers and makes it’s own decisions under Rotary guidance.

International Service deals with international matters, which come from RI. They make recommendations as to which projects could be supported, which we may or may not adopt.

They also maintain contact with our Twin Clubs and organise twinning visits. Our Club is twinned with the Rotary Club of Aars in Denmark, Settsu in Japan and Bethel St. Clair in Pittsburgh USA. It also has friendship links with Seoul, South Korea and Sydney, Australia.

Twinning visits take place regularly and usually involve home hosting. Visits to and from Settsu tend to be restricted to every 5^th year, but Aars and Bethel St. Clair are more frequent.

‘Foundation’ refers to the Rotary Foundation, which is the charitable side of R.I. It is the world’s largest privately administered charity having funds of around $90 million. It is this Charity that hopes to eradicate polio throughout the world by year 2015.

Membership mainly deals with the recruitment of new members, and their retention.

Fund-raising oversees all of the Club’s fund-raising efforts but does not necessarily run them all. Although Rotary is not primarily a fund-raising organisation, it has a charitable angle. In November each year, this committee recommends the "disbursement" of charitable donations to worthwhile causes from suggestions put forward by the other committees. Council makes the final decision on disbursements. Charitable speakers are usually given a donation to their cause on the day they address the Club.

HONOURS

‘Honorary Members are normally past members of the Club who are considered to have made a substantial contribution during their years of membership, but who have resigned for personal reasons. This may be simply that they have moved district and can no longer attend the Club. It is a way of honouring and keeping in touch and is reviewed annually at the AGM. Honorary Members are exempt from attendance rules.

Members can also be honoured by the bestowing of a "Paul Harris Fellowship" which recognises the contribution that they have made to the movement, and is named after the founder. This is usually given while Rotarians are still members, but can be awarded posthumously.

LUNCH. The 3-course meal currently costs £12.00. Salad and vegetarian options are available.

SUBSCRIPTIONS. The current annual subscription is £130.00 (2010-2011) payable on 1^st July and for new members there is normally an entrance fee of half this amount (2010-2011 £65.00). However our Club is currently waiving the entrance fee. The membership card gives proof of identification at any Rotary Club in the world.

For joining members the subscription is chargeable per quarter, so anyone joining in the last quarter of the Rotary Year will only pay £36.25 subs plus the entrance fee, (currently waived) and Charitable Donations as desired.

CHARITABLE DONATIONS. Members of the Club, except Honorary Members, are invited to also make Charitable Donations totalling £45.00 (2010-11). This is made up of £25 to our own Charity Trust Fund and £20 to the R. I. charity, Rotary Foundation. Gift Aid forms are available for both of these voluntary donations (which adds 28% to the value of the gift) and the amounts can be included in personal tax returns as applicable to reclaim higher rate tax.

The applicant must not have any expectation of membership until the final approval.

First the Prospective Member and Sponsor should complete a proposal form which is handed in to the Secretary or Membership Chairman for consideration.

If the Prospective Member is considered to be suitable, an Information Meeting is then arranged by the Membership Committee. The sponsoring Rotarian is also invited to attend. If following the Information Meeting, the Prospective Member wishes to be considered for membership (and is still considered to be suitable!), a recommendation is made to Council for consideration. If successful a 10-day notice is issued to all Members.

Objections: - If any member has a genuine reason for believing that a Prospective Member is unsuitable as a Member he must write to the Secretary. If there are no objections after 10 days the candidate becomes a Member.

Prospective Members should not attend lunchtime meetings while their applications are being considered. However, as soon as the ten days are up without objections, they will be informed by the Secretary, and may attend as a Member. Inductions will be held during lunchtime business meetings rather than speaker meetings.

Full payment of all dues is necessary before induction can take place.