What is Rotaract?
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Rotaract is a voluntary service club for young people who are looking to make a difference in the ever-progressing world today whilst also making friends and connections around the world.
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Our Rotaract club organises,and carries out events to raise funds and awareness to support important causes in not only our community, but also worldwide. The club is sponsored and supported by Thatcham Rotary club, who work in collaboration with our Rotaractors as partners in promoting international goodwill and service.
What did we do before Rotaract?
Before joining Rotaract, we worked as members of Interact in Kennet Sixth Form, a school-based branch of Rotary where we organised several events to fundraise for both local and international causes with the guidance of current Rotary members. These causes include the Rosemary Appeal, the Wye Valley Zambia Project, and providing our school with an exercise bike for students requiring special needs. We raised these funds by organising both large- and small-scale events within our school, such as our annual Winter Formal and Charity Football Match as well as multiple bake sales and managing stalls at our school’s Christmas Fair. In the future we hope to continue contributing to our community in similar ways as members of Rotaract.
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How is Rotary connected?
Rotary is an international organisation with its HQ in United States. Each club is divided into districts. For example our district is 1090 and the Rotary club is Thatcham Rotary (who also sponsors our Rotaract club!)
Bonus Fact: There are more rotary clubs than McDonalds in the world.
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The Interact clubs in our area are Kennet and Park House that include the Sixth Form years. However, there are plans to start an Interact club for years 7 to 11 in Kennet. Although Covid has delayed this, it will be set up offically from Autumn of 2021.
Rotakids is up and running in Newbury at 2 schools. Two more clubs will be established in the Primary schools with the Kennet Academy.
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History of Rotary and its objectives
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Rotary started with the vision of one man, Paul Harris, who formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, in order to allow professionals with diverse backgrounds exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships.
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million members committed to serving the community both locally and worldwide and fostering World Peace. Partnered with the WHO, Rotary has been at the forefront of the campaign to eradicate Polio from the world and has raised and spent over US$ 1.5 billion on this campaign alone. Health, Literacy, Mother and Children projects are at the forefront of what Rotary does.
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To find more information about Rotary and its practices visit: https://www.rotary.org/en
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We have looked at the official objectives of Rotary and given our interpretation of them, and how these will effect how we run our club. "The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster":
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1) "The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service."
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Focus on creating a community and fellowship between our members lies integral to our aims of making an inter-generational club that forms bonds of friendship and connections both nationally and internationally.
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2) "High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society."
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Our members span a wide range of Universities throughout the UK, from Chichester to Manchester, each studying an array of academic fields. We strive to be a non-elitist club in which all young people are welcome to join and are actively encouraged to get involved.
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3) "The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and community life."
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Wanting to enact change to make a difference in this world is vital within Rotaract, members are inquisitive and fully engaged within the community and fundraising work that we organise.
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4) "The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service."
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Developing connections with both local and international causes and charities are extremely important in order to make a lasting effect on communities both at home and afar.
Changing the face of Rotary: THE NEXT GENERATION