Club History

Our first get together was in March 1989 at the Wheatsheaf Pub in Atherton, where the idea of starting a new club was discussed.

We wanted to form a club that complemented the three older established clubs in the local area, Atherton, Leigh and Tyldesley.

These clubs were based in the town centres, met at lunchtimes and their members tended to be local business people.

The Rotary Club of Astley was established to meet in the evenings thereby attracting people who lived in Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley as well as Astley, but whose work prevented them form meeting at lunchtime.

On the 21st March 1990 we held our first charter dinner, at the 'Formby Hall' in Atherton, and the Rotary Club of Astley was born.

Over 200 Rotarians, including the club's own 35 newly registered members, attended, and we were delighted to have the Rotary National President for Great Britain and Ireland, Len Smith, and District 1280 Governor Basil Horseman present as guests of honour.

David Smith was chosen as our founder president, and proved to be an excellent choice, possessing the key attributes that make a great president - drive, confidence, meticulousness, perseverance and diplomacy.

We are justifiably proud of our 'hands on' projects over the years, which have varied from a plate smashing stall at local events, to the organisation and implementation of a trip to Albania to provide school equipment to an impoverished school.

Other projects have included:

• planting over a million daffodil bulbs over a three year period in conjunction with other local Rotary clubs;
• a organising and running a Life Education Centre for the Wigan borough to teach young people about the dangers of drugs;
• help with a major project for the restoration of Dam House, parts of which dated back to medieval times;
• major involvement to provide equipment for a Brazilian hospital to provide training for micro-surgeons.

Astley Rotarians have worked in conjunction with many local and national agencies, including: The Fourways Assesment Centre, Crime Prevention Panels, the Life Education Scheme for warning young people of the dangers of drugs, the Heritage Centre at Astley Colliery, and the charity for handicapped children, Kids Out.

Fund raising has been a major occupation of the club, through a variety of events including sportsmen's dinners, barbecues, Father Christmas and his float, a Houghton Weavers concert, bike rides and many others.

These funds have been used to make donations to national and international campaigns such as Sight Savers eye camps in India, and general aid to underdeveloped countries, as well as to local groups including Leigh Rangers Junior Rugby Club, Scouts, and various local hospices and hospitals.