Our Club

Friendship
The Rotary Club of Witham has thirty active members from all walks of life.  Age does not preclude any person from being an active Rotarian, and many of our members have been drawn from other service clubs such as Round Table, 41 Club, Rotaract and Rotaserve. Membership is open to both men and women.

Entertainment
We have a programme of events each year for the enjoyment of the members and their families. An invitation to our evening meetings held on the fifth Tuesday of the month is extended to our wives, husbands or partners to join us where prospective members are also welcome.  We have a speaker at most meetings, where the subject matter normally generates much interest and discussion.

Sporting Activities
We become involved in competitive sport against other Rotary clubs, which allows us to meet even more like-minded people, all with one aim..

Enjoy the fellowship that Rotary brings Service above Self

What is Rotary?
(The serious stuff!)

A Service Organization
Rotary is a global network of community volunteers.
Some 31,000 Rotary clubs in more than 165 countries carry out service projects in their local communities and abroad, to address critical issues such as poverty, health, hunger, illiteracy and the environment.
Rotary clubs participate in a broad range of humanitarian, intercultural and educational activities around the world.  Grants from the Rotary Foundation support club projects that provide health care and medical supplies, clean water, food and clothing, job training, youth development, and education to millions of people in need, particularly in the developing world.
Rotary builds understanding through international scholarships, exchange programmes and humanitarian grants. Rotary funds young professionals to explore their career fields in other countries, and allows students to study abroad to further their education.

Polio Eradication
PolioPlus was launched in 1985, an ambitious programme to immunize the world’s children against polio.  As a result, new polio cases have fallen right away except in two or three countries,  and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease.
Rotary has provided around half a billion US dollars and countless hands-on hours to this critical effort. 
We are almost there.  Currently Rotary International has a target to raise a further $200 million to match a grant from Bill Gates Foundation of $355 Million and the target is almost met

Community Service
The raising of money is only the beginning.  We then have to spend it wisely on local, national and international charities.  
This year we have supported The Farleigh Hospice by organizing a Golf Tournament and the Essex Air Ambulance by organizing a Sponsored walk on the river View.
The Local Brainwave Charity to help Disabled Children and their families have benefited  by £500 from proceeds of our JRace Night.  400 Junior school leavers from 9 local primary schools have received an illustrated dictionary with proceeds from an annual Duck Race. And many other charities, local, national and international have been helped, e.g. Cockaiyne syndrome fund, stroke victims and mercy ships. 
We actively get involved in hands-on service by organizing the annual Senior Citizens Christmas party and help the community by providing the Town Christmas tree and touring the town estates with Santa's Sleigh.

Youth Activities

One of our main projects each year is organizing the local and area Youth Speaks. This is a public speaking competition for local school students of all ages, and is very popular as it gives all who take part the confidence they might require for the future. Area winners can proceed to a District Final and then to a National Final.
A similar competition is held for the Young Musician of the Year and the Young Chefs competition this year was held at Maltings Academy with 8 contestants ! The Winner, Lois Bronze, went forward to win the District Final in Chelmsford.