Discover Rotary - FAQ

What is Rotary?

Rotary International is an association of Rotary clubs worldwide. It’s made up of more than 33,000 Rotary Clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. The members of these autonomous Clubs are called Rotarians, and they form a global network of 1.2 million business and professional leaders, all volunteering their time and talents to serve their communities and the world. Individual Rotary Clubs, in turn, belong to the global association called Rotary International.

How do I become a member of Rotary?

Rotary membership is by invitation. The best way to get involved is to find a local Rotary Club near you.  Rotary Clubs will normally suggest you go along and attend a few meetings to see if it is for you.  If there is more than one Rotary Club in your area, you may like to visit that one too. If you click on the Make An Enquiry button at the bottom of this page, we will be happy to put you in touch with a Club near you.

What are the commitments of membership?

We know from our own experience that people are busy and have other commitments.
This is why we offer a flexible and understanding approach.

The Time Commitment

Although traditional Clubs meets weekly, members DO NOT have to attend every week. In the history of Rotary, there has never been a rule that says members must attend every week. Rotarians are encouraged to attend as much as they can and taking part in fund raising activities and projects can count as attendance.
Innovative and Flexible Clubs can determine their own rules on attendance. (We are currently forming satellite clubs that will be innovative and flexible.)
That being said, the more you put into Rotary, the more you will get out of it. Our job is to make Rotary enjoyable and worthwhile so that you will want to attend.

The Financial Commitment 

All Rotarians pay membership subscriptions. In addition to this, traditional Clubs also enjoy a meal together, which adds to the cost. Some Clubs however do not have a meal or have dining and non-dining members, which of course reduces the cost.  Rotary can cost as little as £10 per month.

Why should we pay to volunteer?

As Rotarians, we are very proud of the fact that 100% of the money we raise goes to where it is intended. That is because our subscriptions pay for our organisation’s running costs. We are an international organisation with 1.2 million members around the world. We cannot function without administration, communication systems, marketing, public relations, leadership training, support services etc.   We also have insurance and legal services. The projects and fund raising events of Rotary Clubs are insured. This is all paid for through subscriptions and Rotarians will tell you it is money well spent for the benefits that membership brings.
It is also worth noting that throughout the world Rotary International has established an excellent reputation for being responsible and trustworthy. Furthermore, our own charity
The Rotary Foundation enjoys a very high charity rating.  

Is Rotary open to everyone?

The greatest strength of our organisation is our diversity. Rotary is made up of men, women, single people and couples.  Rotarians come from all walks of life; some of them may have religious affiliations and others will not.

All Rotary Clubs are subject to compliance policies that include Equal Opportunities and Diversity. Rotary is a non-political, non-sectarian, non-religious organisation. There are no secrets or mysteries.
Although it is usually expected that Rotarians are established in their careers, Rotary is open to everyone in that we offer opportunities for younger people to engage with Rotary through Rotaract, Interact and Rotakids.  See Clubs For Young People.

If you have any further questions about Rotary, simply click on this
Make An Enquiry button.