Rivermead's Strategy for 2017-18

Our strategy for growth is based on the ‘Guiding Principles of Rotary’ with its emphasis on service, and on the Rotary ‘GO’ initiative with its emphasis on growth. 

 If Rotary clubs are to survive , they must remain relevant, and to remain relevant, they must re-calibrate their purpose, re-engineer how they do things, and re-position themselves in the market-place. 

 “It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but those most responsive to change” (Darwin).

“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new” (Socrates).

“Rotary must be evolutionary at all times – revolutionary on occasion” (Paul Harris, Rotary Founder).

2017-2018:  A YEAR OF GROWTH

1.     We aim to grow together as a club, by strengthening our relationships and by ensuring that all we do and say is governed by the four-way test. 

2.     We aim to grow more, by doubling the club membership over the coming year as a result of members personally inviting friends and acquaintances

3.     We aim to grow in service, both by engaging in adventurous fund-raising which will catch the attention and support of our city, and by encouraging the concept of service in the lives of individual Rotarians

4.     We aim to grow in influence, by connecting with leaders in the city and in the county and encouraging them to see Rotary as an opportunity for service.

 Growing together 

1.     We resolve to be positive at all times, and not to look back on past difficulties

2.     We will use our fellowship meetings as opportunities to get to know one another better

 Growing more

1.     We will encourage every club member to exploit their network of relationships

2.     We will invite high-quality speakers to our meetings who will attract guests to our club

3.     We will produce a promotional termly club card to give away to friends and acquaintances

4.     We will develop our web-site with a view to attracting new members

5.     We will run a membership drive every term

 Growing in service

1.  With Helen Rollason Cancer Charity as our President’s charity, .

2.  Although not a formal club project, we will support Rotarian Graham Hart’s Botswana water project by our interest, by providing a conduit for monies raised, and by encouraging individual club members in getting involved.

3. We will promote Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign with a fund-raising event in October.

 Growing in influence

1.     We will invite key city and county leaders to come and speak to our club

2.     We will invite city and county dignitaries to our champagne breakfast

3.     With the other Chelmsford Rotary clubs we will continue to contribute to a monthly page detailing our activities in the Essex Chronicle

THE RUNNING OF THE CLUB

 Governance

·    With many members still at work or with other responsibilities, we will run the club in a light-weight style, and where appropriate use email to make decisions.

·    The club at its business meetings will deal with all issues of substance. but will delegate the ‘nuts and bolts’ to a council made up of the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer – with other club members invited as required by the agenda of the day.

·       We will hold evening council meetings separate from the Wednesday morning business meetings, we will limit them to every other month:  

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 Finance

·        We will construct a budget, and look at whether we should raise the weekly charge for breakfast as also the annual subscription charge.  

·    As part of our fund-raising for J’s Hospice, we will set up a Virgin Money Giving account.

 Rotary beyond Rivermead

·        We will continue to strengthen our contacts with the other Chelmsford clubs by inviting their members to special events and by organising the January five clubs breakfast – and by my attending meetings of the other presidents

·     We will develop our links with District 1240 by welcoming the District Governor to one of our meetings;  and by inviting the Assistant DG to our meetings and events in the hope that in the course of the year we might receive at least four visits

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 THE PROGRAMME