Focus on Middleton: The Rotary Club of Middleton

Members of the Rotary Club of Middleton on a fellowship weekend in the Lake District

The Rotary Club of Middleton is now in its 77th year. It currently has 27 members and four ‘Friends of Middleton Rotary.’

The members meet weekly at the Norton Grange Hotel and throughout the year they host numerous fundraising events.

Rochdale Online reporter Laura Wild caught up with the clubs president Janice Powell to find out more.
Mrs Powell explained what the club contributes its successes to, “The founding members were from local families and businesses and there has been a long tradition of several generations from the same family becoming members. This has provided continuity for the club.

“Support from members' families enables us to work together to help both the local community and further afield.

Mrs Powell continued: “Ongoing rejuvenation from new members, including the acceptance of lady members and the incorporation of Rochdale Eighty-six into the club”

There are many things Mrs Powell enjoys about Rotary, she said: “I enjoy the fellowship from meeting up with like minded people and also the opportunity to be able to put something back into the community.”

The Rotary motto is “Service above Self” Mrs Powell said: “I think this sums up Rotary perfectly.”


Mrs Powell got involved in Rotary through a friend who was an existing member, “I originally joined as a Friend as I thought I didn't have the spare time to commit to being a full member, bit I found that I missed so much of what was going on that I decided to join as a full member. Strangely, once the commitment is made you find you do have the time,” she said.

As with any club there are many highlights, Mrs Powell told hers: “Realising that giving your time and resource to good causes can in some instances be as beneficial and rewarding as giving financial aid.”

Highlights include: helping Moorlands Children’s home and providing bridges over rivers in Africa which saved local women and children many miles of walking each day to get water

Mrs Powell added: “The Christmas float we take round the streets is always fun and it’s so enjoyable to see the pleasure it brings to the families.

“My favourite memory is of helping man a feeding a station for the marathon section of the Iron Man Triathlon in August. We had a very long and tiring day but nothing compared to what the contestants went through and yet at the end of the day, as they came through our station for the final time, they thanked us so effusively and were so grateful for what we had done for them!”

Recent fundraising for the Rotary Club of Middleton include:

• A can collection at Sainsbury's to raise funds for our water projects
• A tombola stall at the Mayday celebrations
• A stall at Middfest where we had Frog Racing and Bash the Rat games and sold some cards

Of course there are many events still to come which include:

• Can collecting at Tesco on 26 November for Mikoroshoni school
• Whisky tasting at the Old Boar's Head on 3 December
• Christmas float and Father Christmas in the Middleton Shopping centre
• A collection at Sainsbury's in February for Polio plus
• A Race Night on 9 April at the cricket club to raise funds for Help for Heroes

An exciting twist to the Rotary events this year is a “Dragons Den” style event:
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/48671/cash-for-community-projects-up-for-grabs-thanks-to-rotarians