Member Information

Welcome

Whether you’ve just joined us or you’ve been part of Penzance or Mounts Bay Rotary for years, you’re part of a group of people who choose to make a difference. Our club is built on friendship, shared purpose, and the simple belief that we can achieve more together than any of us could alone.

What Rotary means for new members

If you’re new to Rotary, you’re stepping into a welcoming community that will support you as you find your feet. There’s no pressure to know everything straight away. You’ll learn by joining in, asking questions, and getting involved in the projects that interest you. Every contribution counts, whether you’re helping at an event, offering a skill, or simply showing up with enthusiasm.

What Rotary means for long‑standing members

If you’ve been with us for many years, you’re part of the club’s backbone. Your experience, continuity, and steady commitment help guide the club forward. You set the tone, uphold our values, and help newer members feel at home. The traditions and strengths of Penzance Rotary exist because of you.

What we share

With around 40 members, our club is a mix of personalities, skills, and stories, and that’s exactly what makes it work. We support local families, young people, community organisations, and international humanitarian projects. Sometimes the work is hands‑on, sometimes it’s behind the scenes, but it always comes from the same place: a desire to make a positive difference.

How the club is organised

The Club operates under a democratic structure in which members elect fellow Rotarians to serve on the Club Council, ensuring appropriate governance, continuity, and oversight of the Club’s activities and strategic direction.

Click here to see this year's Council members

How the club works – Committees

Our club meets the constitutional requirement for the five mandatory Rotary committees by embedding them within the wider structure of Council‑appointed committees. In practice, this means that Club Administration, Membership, Public Image, Rotary Foundation, and Service Projects are all fully covered, but organised in a way that reflects how our club actually works day to day.

Click here to see this year's Committee Structure and all Committees

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The Penzance Rotary Shop

The Penzance Rotary Shop is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), giving it a formal legal status that strengthens its ability to serve the community. As a CIO, the shop operates under a clearly defined charitable constitution, with appointed trustees responsible for governance, compliance, and ensuring that all activities meet Charity Commission standards. 

Rotarians, supported by a dedicated team of local volunteers, run the shop entirely on a voluntary basis. There are no paid staff, and every penny raised goes directly towards supporting local causes, community groups, and individuals in need. This model keeps overheads low and impact high, a hallmark of Rotary service.

Click here to see the Trustees of the Rotary Shop

Rotary Club of Penzance Trust Fund

Charity number 1027839 is the club's charitable trust that securely holds, manages, and distributes all money raised for community and humanitarian projects. It ensures that donations, grants, and fundraising income are kept separate from club operating funds and are used only for genuine charitable purposes.

The trust provides a compliant structure for Gift Aid, matched funding, and external grants, while giving members confidence that every pound is handled transparently under Charity Commission rules. Trustees oversee the fund, report annually, and ensure spending supports local good causes, youth programmes, emergency relief, and wider Rotary initiatives such as End Polio Now.

Click here to see the Trustees of the Trust Fund

Friends of Rotary

The Club often calls upon a wider group of ‘Friends of Rotary’ who support projects and events. Many later become Rotarians.

A global network with a local impact

“Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”

Rotary District 1175

Penzance Rotary belongs to District 1175, which covers Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and the Channel Islands. The District helps coordinate larger projects, training, youth programmes, and collaboration between clubs.

Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland

Rotary Clubs in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are part of Rotary Great Britain and Ireland (RGBI). RGBI supports Rotary Clubs by providing:

• Governance and guidance
• Safeguarding and youth protection frameworks
• Charity compliance
• National programmes and competitions
• Training for club officers

Rotary International

Rotary is a global organisation boasting over 1.4 million members in more than two hundred countries. Its work is focused on seven key areas:

• Peacebuilding and conflict prevention
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water, sanitation, and hygiene
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Community economic development
• Protecting the environment