Rotary Club of Westminster East

July marks the start of a new Rotary year, with new Presidents’ taking up the reigns, with new teams and implementing new ideas.  The energy and enthusiasm is infectious and it’s a great time to be a Rotarian.

This year, the Rotary Club of Westminster East had extra cause for celebration as Past President Judith, having relocated to the South of France, has been busy helping to establish the Rotary Club of Olonzac en Minervois in District 1700.

The aspiration for the new club, in addition to increasing the size of the Rotary family, was to establish a club with an truly international outlook that welcomed ladies as members, which despite the rhetoric remains an issue for Rotary.

 After a great deal of hard work and effort, the Rotary Club of Olonzac en Minervois held its Charter Night on 25 June. The evening was a great success with the founding members delighted that in addition to receiving their ‘pins’, they celebrated two new members being inducted into the club and Rotary.  The guest of honour was the outgoing District Governor, Jacques-Romain Divisa from the Rotary Club of Rabelais, whose last official duty of his year was to present the Chains of Office to President Hervé, Secretary Michel, Treasure Guy, Sergeant at Arms Judith and hand out Rotary ‘pins’ and club banners.

The international feel of the club was solidified with the presentation of club banners received from supportive clubs from around the world.  Banner were received from Braine l'Alleud (Belgium), Ely (UK), Enghien Edingen (Belgium), Muret (France) Rutland (UK), Saint Cyprien Centenaire (France), Toronto Beach (Canada), Utrecht (Holland), Villiers la Ville (Belgium) and the Rotary Club of Westminster East.

The new club has already commenced work on its service projects and will be collecting for Shelterbox at Olonzac’s weekly market.  In addition, the club is planning a fundraising tennis tournament that will take place in early autumn and hopes to generate funds from pony cart rides around a local lake.

The members of the Rotary Club of Westminster East are very proud of Past President Judith and congratulate her and her colleagues’ efforts establishing their new Club.  The fellows of Westminster East send their warmest regards and best wishes to everyone at the Rotary Club of Olonzac en Minervois and hope that the club is able to grow its membership and has great success with its service and fundraising projects.