Celebrating 50 glorious years of community service

Top table guests were (left to right): Debbie Abrahams MP, Dr Ian Brett, President, Saddleworth Rotary; Zahid Chauhan OBE, Mayor of Oldham; Eric Russell, Rotary District Governor, Irene Russell, Rotarian; Linda Dawson, Councillor, Kevin Dawson, Chairman of Saddleworth Parish Council. Images courtesy of Gill Brett

More than 80 guests shared the Rotary Club of Saddleworth's glittering birthday as they celebrated 50 years of  community service.

The event, at The White Hart in Lydgate last Thursday, is known as the Charter Night, because it celebrates the granting of its charter from Rotary International, in effect the founding of the club.

Invited guests included local MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, Debbie Abrahams, and her husband John, the Mayor of Oldham, Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE, FRCGP, Chair of Saddleworth Parish Council, Councillor Kevin Dawson, and his wife Linda.

For both the Mayor and Councillor Dawson this was the first event they were attending in their official capacity at the beginning of a busy year for them both.

The local Rotary area District Governor Eric Russell and his wife, Irene, were also in attendance, together with representatives of other local Rotary clubs, current and former members of the Saddleworth club, together with friends and well-wishers.

During dinner they exchanged stories about their connection with and experience of Rotary.

Following dinner, Lawrence Perrins, a founder member of the club, reminded those present of the granting of the Charter to the club and acknowledged Philip Buckley, who had left the area some time ago, as the only other founder member present.

Leading local solicitor, John Ainley, presented a short history of the Saddleworth club, underpinning the charitable nature of the club’s activities and purpose.

Rotary District Governor Eric Russell reminded the gathering of the work Rotary did through the thousands of clubs like Saddleworth Rotary across the world.

And although Rotary was a huge organisation, it relied on local clubs for its continued successes.

Jessica Jones and Clare Bennett, whose Amazonia Krav Maga School of Self Defence is the only one in the UK run by women, talked about, and demonstrated, how the system taught people to achieve both the frame of mind and skills to get home safely at any time of day or night.

The evening concluded with thanks to all from the club’s current President, Ian Brett, for making the celebration of the first 50 years of Rotary in Saddleworth such a success.

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