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RotaKids

Youth Activities 2026

In this section you will find guidance on the various youth activities happening around the District.
The 2026 theme for Youth Competions is "Happiness in Nature".
National results of the 2025 Competitions are now available on the RGB&I website.

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In the next 30 days...

Fellowship Quiz

Friday 27th February 2026

RC Seaburn A social event which we hope will attract Rotarians and partners from Group 4 and the wider District.

Rotary District 1030 is located in the North East of England and comprises 45 Rotary Clubs, serving their local,  regional, national and international communities

Welcome to Rotary North East – it’s good to see you.

So who are we?

Rotary is an international organisation, founded in 1905, with more than 35,000 member clubs worldwide, and 1.2 million individual Rotarians. It has a long and celebrated history of helping communities across the world and making a difference to millions of lives.

Also known as Rotary District 1030, Rotary North East’s 44 clubs represent people from all walks of life, all denominations, all ethnicities and all orientations who are dedicated to aiding their communities across the region – and having fun doing it!
 
The days of the elitist, male-dominated, ‘clubby’ organisation, which has so long been the image of Rotary, are well on the way out. Rotary’s North East groups include many people, young and old, who are changing  
the way we operate, organise and communicate.
Millions of pounds have been donated to causes across the North East over the years, raised through an imaginative programme of events - social, community and business - and fundraisers. 
We have high standards of operation, with inbuilt fairness and honesty, and aim to build goodwill and beneficial working partnerships and business networks. We have well-established youth programmes and opportunities to get involved in initiatives all over the world. 
All Rotary groups serve local, regional, national and international communities, through funding, awareness-raising, and project-driven initiatives. 
Give us a call, drop us a line, come and see us. If you've got what it takes and want  to have fun, we need you in Rotary
You can find your local North East club here. 

Meet our District Leader: Joy Palmer Cooper


Joy has enjoyed a career in education, holding various teaching, advisory and administrative positions including that of Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Durham University responsible for research and human resources management. She has served as advisor to various international Governments on the development of policies and strategies for implementing Education for Sustainable Development and has published widely in the fields of Environmental Cognition. She is a Vice-President and past Chair of the National Association for Environmental Education.

She is Vice-Chair of Council and Chair of Grants Committee of a substantial national charity which makes grants to other charities for developing educational opportunities in the UK and internationally and is also Chair of the Charity Project Sri Lanka. As a Justice of the Peace she has presided in Adult and Family Proceedings Courts and was Deputy Chair of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee (Northumbria) for the recruitment and appointment of Magistrates. 

Joy's association with Rotary International began in 1980 when she was fortunate enough to be awarded a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship to study at Stanford University, hosted by District 5170. This was an incredible life-changing experience and from then on, she maintained association with many Rotary Clubs in California and elsewhere until time allowed to become a full-time Rotarian in Alnwick in 2005. She was a Rotary GB&I Champion of Change in 2016, awarded for her international humanitarian work in Sri Lanka. She has held various District roles including AG, DGN, DGE, Mediator, and RotaKids and Interact lead, and will be District Governor until the end of the Rotary year 2025-26.

She is a member of the governing Board of Rotary Great Britain and Ireland, represents the cohort of Immediate Past District Governors 2024-25, and is a member of the Board's communications workstream.

When not at work or 'doing' Rotary, Joy enjoys being a keen runner, a passionate gardener, and loves travel and walking in the north-west Highlands of Scotland with Rotarian husband David.

The District Bulletin December 2025/January 2026


 For the latest news from around the District click here  

  
                                                                                        

 Rotary is all about having fun and promoting good causes locally and internationally.

Get involved with Rotary today at: https://www.rotarygbi.org/join/

  

 

Quick Links

Shelterbox delivers the essentials to families to allow them to rebuild their lives after a disaster Shelterbox delivers the essentials to families to allow them to rebuild their lives after a disastermore  

Veterans at Ease is a leading Military Mental Health Charity, committed to helping Veterans, Reservists, Serving Military Personnel and their families deal with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other combat stress-related issues.more  

The Rotary One Life Initiative provides defibrillators in the community The Rotary One Life Initiative provides defibrillators in the communitymore  

Rotary International Rotary Internationalmore  

Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland Rotary in Great Britain and Irelandmore  

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