Focus on Heywood: The Rotary Club of Heywood

Heywood Rotarians presenting a cheque for Springhill Hospice

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The Rotary Club of Heywood was set up in 1933. It currently has 18 members who meet every week and each year one of the members holds the role of club president.

The club is made up of just men, although women are able to join and its motto is: “service before self.”

Rotary is an international organisation but in the hope of discovering about the Heywood Rotary Club Rochdale Online reporter Laura Wild met with the gents for their weekly meeting to find out a bit more…

I met with the club’s members at the Pack Horse Inn in Birtle, one Tuesday night in September to learn more about what Rotary is – aside from a bit of reading online I wasn’t familiar with what the organisation does.

The current President, John Maclean, explained that fellowship is an important part of Rotary.

I also learnt throughout the evening that members from any club can visit clubs all over the world, whilst on holiday, travelling or away with the work – so really no matter where in the world a Rotarian may be, he or she is never alone.

Long standing member Harry Openshaw said: “Rotarians are never without a friend, wherever you go there is a Rotary Club nearby – members are able to just turn up.

“I was superbly treated at the Bermuda Rotary Club and I remained friends with the people I met there for some time after.”

The Rotary Club has dual purpose when it comes to fundraising and providing services because as well as helping the Heywood community they also, along with other Rotary Clubs, help people internationally, for example the Pakistan floods or the
Haiti earthquake.

I had always thought that Rotary was a “special” or “secret” club and one would need an invite or something to offer to be involved. Although this was once partly the case the rules are much more relaxed.

Members told me that in years gone by; those interested in becoming a Rotarian had to be over 30 years old and fit into a specific job classification.

Today, there is no classification. The gents informed me that the Radcliffe Rotary Club has a member of just 18 years old. Heywood member Harry Openshaw said: “This just goes to show how times have changed, when I was 24 years old I wanted to join and I was refused because I wasn’t old enough.”

The weekly meeting highlighted to me how friendly and social Rotary is, as well as the fundraising and serious side of the club.

The Rotary Club of Heywood helps the local community in a variety of ways; people are able to approach the club for help if they need it or financial support. Of course, they can’t say yes to everybody but they do as much as possible.

I was told how the club helped one lady with a medical problem in getting a home after her son and daughter approached the members.

“It is not all through money.” President MacLean told me, “We help wherever we can, however we can.”

The Rotary Club of Heywood is renowned for the choral singing, aka, the heavenly choir concerts they organise and perform at local care homes, they also throw Christmas parties in five or six care homes during the festive period.

At the weekly meetings the members discuss upcoming events, report back from other meetings and events and also plan and organise more fundraising events.

The men also have a sit down meal where they chat about anything and everything.

Following the meal, one by one the members told me various tales about Rotary – and the ones they thought couldn’t be printed they kept close to their chests!

Because the members are very well travelled the Heywood Rotary Club is known all over the world and members have brought back 100s of banners representing clubs the world over. The banners come out once a year for the club’s birthday celebrations.

The club’s banner is a textile banner which is very unusual as most clubs banners are silk.

Presidency in the club runs from July-July, members aren’t elected they simply each get a turn at being the president.

Current President Mr MacLean said: “The key thing is fellowship, that is an essential part, if we don’t get on then there’s no club.”

The president picks a charity for the year of their presidency for the Rotary to help in any way possible. Mr MacLean’s chose charity is the Heywood Youth Link.

“Jenny Kennedy from the Heywood Youth Link came to talk to us, and it was a very life affirming talk and really that made it an easy choice for me.”

Rotary was set up in 1905 by a man called Paul Harris in Chicago.

Paul Harris Service Awards are given to members the world over for the work they do – Heywood Rotary has two members who were given this award, Chris Kaushal and Harry Openshaw.

Mr Openshaw said: “It is an honour to have been given the award from the club.”

The club organises many charity events, which include “Curryoke” whiskey tasting and bizarrely, maggot racing!

After spending just a few hours with the club I was able to understand the sense of fellowship, through the banter and relationships the members have.

I noticed they all enjoyed being there, they were all involved and they were all very happy.

To find out about more community groups in Heywood visit:

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/community/groups/heywood