Over 100 members and guests attended Aberystwyth Rotary Club’s 75th anniversary Charter Night at Medrus, on the university campus.
Guests included local political and community representatives, and a number from neighbouring Rotary Clubs and a strong representation from the club of Inverness, Loch Ness with whom the Aberystwyth club enjoys a special connection.
The main speaker was Professor Carwyn Jones, former First Minister and an ex-student of Aberystwyth, who recalled some amusing stories of his visit to New Zealand as a young Rotary Scholar, and emphasised the importance of the work of the Rotary movement at a time when society – and especially the more needy and vulnerable – were becoming increasingly dependent on voluntary support.
The president, Dr Hywel M Davies, highlighted the substantial contribution that the club had made since its inauguration in 1948, which included the Rotary Garden in Bronglais, Tŷ Geraint, and more recently the Laptops for Schools Project as well as contributions to the Jubilee Storehouse Foodbank.
During the last 10 years the club has enabled 19 young people from the local area to travel to different countries on humanitarian projects as well as arranging and sponsoring a range of youth competitions and Rotary Youth Leadership awards.
The club had changed since the early years but still held true to Rotary values which put “service above self”.
A display of original Rotary documentation including the first attendance book and the original drafts for the design of the Wishing Well were available to view.
After an excellent dinner provided by the university, guests enjoyed a musical interlude by Gruff Sion (euphonium) and vocalist Ioan Mabbutt, two students of Ysgol Penweddig who have recently taken part with distinction in the Rotary Young Musician competition; they were accompanied by Lona Phillips.
Several Rotarians voiced their opinion that the dinner was a fitting celebration of 75 years’ service to Aberystwyth and the world.
The raffle held during the evening raised a very respectable £800 for the president’s chosen charity of Prostate Cymru.
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