Pioneering Rotary club celebrates 20th anniversary (From Gazette Series)

Pioneering Yate Rotary Club celebrates 20th anniversary

9:10am Sunday 29th January 2012 in Yate and Sodbury news By Alexandra Womack

THE first Rotary club in the country to be founded with male and female members has celebrated a major anniversary.

Five women helped to launch Yate Rotary Club back in 1992, marking a major change in the global Rotarian movement.

One of those founder members, and current club president, is Jill Tebb.

She told the Gazette: "I wanted to get involved because my husband had been a Lion for years and I had been involved in a lot of fundraising.

"I worked at Stroud and Swindon in Chipping Sodbury at the time and we always supported Children in Need so I was really into helping charities.

"I was asked to go along and that was it really, I have been a member ever since."

Mrs Tebb, who now manages the Coventry building societies in Wotton-under-Edge and Berkeley, said not only had she helped people during two decades of Rotary but the club had also helped her.

"I do feel I have made a different over the last 20 years," she said. "If you want to give something back and have some spare time what you get back in return is a lot of satisfaction at helping other people and many new friendships."

During the club’s 20-year history, Yate Rotarians have raised £230,000 for needy causes both locally and internationally. Local schools and families have been among the beneficiaries and the club has helped Yate-based world champions in acro-gymnastics and junior judo. Members purchased water aid boxes for victims of international disasters and made special collections to help the rebuilding of an Indian fishing village following the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004.

And this year, under Mrs Tebb’s leadership, the club aims to raise enough money to build a dam in Africa to enable whole communities to start sustaining themselves. But Yate Rotary Club is probably best known for running the annual South Costwold Beer Festival at Chipping Sodbury Rugby Club, which this year takes place on Friday, July 13 and Saturday, July 14. Now in its 17th year, the beer festival alone has raised over £160,000 for charity. The club currently has 25 members and meets at Rangeworthy Court Hotel every Thursday (7.30pm). New members are always welcome, call David Picton on 01454 327851 or email david.picton2@btinternet.com