Our Club - a Brief Background

At the beginning of the 80s, with the support of its "mother " club, the Rotary Club of Corstorphine; the enthusiasm of its founder President, Bill Strang; and the inspiration of Bill Caird as District Extension Officer, the Club's initial 36 members formed the Rotary Club of Currie Balerno. It was inaugurated on 1 April 1981 and presented with its Charter on 17 June that same year.

Over forty years later it is a prospering, friendly and active service Club of around 30 members who live mainly in and around the villages of Juniper Green, Currie, Ratho and Balerno. Today the Club is linked internationally to over 32,000 clubs with a total member ship of 1.2 million men and women in approx.170 countries.

The villages of Currie and Balerno, situated some 6-8 miles from the centre of Edinburgh, were incorporated into the city in 1975. The area is a thriving and growing community linked by train via Curriehill Station and by the 44 bus to the centre of Edinburgh. There is a local community newspaper - the monthly Currie and Balerno News (C&B News) - which covers Balerno, Currie and Juniper Green.

The Club, and the area it represents, like Edinburgh itself is rich in history and the diversity of its people. The Club's logo shown below incorporates one of the Balerno paper mills on which the prosperity of the area was originally founded. It also includes Currie Kirk and both are linked by the Water of Leith. This watercourse formerly powered the many mills sited along its banks between Balerno and Edinburgh. There was previously a railway from the city but the route now provides a scenic path for pedestrians, cyclists and horseriders.