Pangbourne Rotary Club

JUNE is the month of turnaround for Rotary clubs around the world. The international fundraising organisation takes the opportunity to review its achievements over the previous 12 months.

Pangbourne Rotary Club held its annual president’s night dinner at the Goring and Streatley Golf Club on Friday and it was attended by 35 members and guests.

Outgoing president Dr Brian Davies paid tribute to the members who had made his year in office such a success.

He said the club had made donations to 50 charities, mostly local, amounting to more than £36,000, thanks to the hard work of the members and the generosity of the public.

Brian touched briefly on his five years as a member of Rotary.

He celebrated the bond of fellowship that is the basis of Rotary and the enjoyment members got out of their regular weekly dinners and the public events they organised, including Santa’s visits to the area during December 2023, raising funds and bringing joy to the end of what had been a difficult year for so many people, the Woodcote 10km, the Pangbourne Art Exhibition and the annual Pangbourne Dragon Boat races.

Early in June, thanks to the efforts of Ed Daniel and Mal Sandham, Brian had led an evening of networking, bringing together more than 20 local charities to which the club had made donations.

Each charity made a presentation of the work they do among the homeless, young people coming out of care, families in need of food banks and distribution of essentials to refugees in Ukraine.

It became obvious that dedicated groups of people have stepped in to fill the voids left by the shrinking welfare society and Pangbourne Rotary Club has been delighted to help with this work.

Some members had also donned their hi-vis jackets and rubber gloves and spent a Saturday recently collecting bags full of litter from around Caversham.

Brian then handed over the chain of office to James Richardson and pointed out there were still 18 former presidents as active members of the club, who would be a great help to him in the year ahead.

All members congratulated James and wished him well.

Accepting the chain of office, James pointed out that the successes of the previous year had their foundation in Brian’s energy, enthusiasm and constant presence at each event.

He highlighted the pleasure members got out of being in Rotary and taking part in events and promised a year of fun and hard work during his forthcoming presidency.

He then completed his first task as president by appointing Ed Daniel as vice-president.

Ted Millichap