30 Years of Service
The Club celebrated it's 30th Charter Night at Camberley Heath Golf Club
From left to right: Paul Wescott, immediate past present Northcliffe Club S. Africa; Sir Gerald Howarth, MP for Aldershot; Rotary District Governor Peter O’Keefe, The Mayor of Rushmoor Councillor Martin Tennant and seated in a soon to shipped to South Africa wheelchair Trevor Drury, President of Rotary Club of Rushmoor.
On Saturday October 24th local Rotarians gathered at Camberley Heath Golf Club to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Rushmoor Rotary Club’s inaugural charter. Set up in April 1985 as an evening club to meet the needs of would be Rotarians who did not work locally – at the time it was nicknamed the “commuters club” and complemented the Farnborough and Aldershot Clubs which met at lunchtime. The Club now has over 40 members and is a respected part of the local ‘service’ community. Press cuttings from 1985.
Guests at the 30th Charter Night celebration included local MP Sir Gerald and Lady Howarth (herself a member of Rushmoor Club); the Mayor of Rushmoor Councillor Martin Tennant; Peter O’Keefe Rotary District Governor and Paul Westcott, immediate Past President of Northcliff Rotary Club from Johannesburg, South Africa. Northcliff Club were represented to also celebrate the joint Freewheeling Project which re-cycles redundant wheelchairs and walking aids from the NHS, to deserving cases across southern Africa. This project has successfully transferred over 27,000 wheelchairs and mobility aids to the Northcliff Club who manage the repair of equipment and handle onward distribution.
Trevor Drury, current Rushmoor Rotary President spoke of his pride in what the Club had achieved in the local community and as part of the broader ‘international family’ of Rotary. “We are indebted to our Founder Members all those years ago, and I hope they approve of the efforts the Club has made to serve our community”. In response Sir Gerald talked of the significant role Rotary played locally and referred to the emergency collections made to support international relief aid (Boxing Day tsunami, the Nepalese earthquake and the funding & provision of Shelterboxes) and to events like Picnic in the Park and Farnborough Donkey Derby which raised large sums for good local causes.
