WINCHESTER Rotary has just celebrated its 90th birthday.

The club received its “Charter” in May 1927, and celebrated 90 years with a lunch at Norton Park Hotel, Sutton Scotney, hosted by its current president Fiona Whitehouse.

In her welcome, she recalled the club’s beginnings – an initial meeting in September 1926 started the process of a series of meetings, leading to the foundation of a club in Winchester with 21 members.

The Hampshire Chronicle was following progress and reported on one of the early meetings: “a dozen local gentlemen met at Dumper’s Café, Jewry Street, Winchester”. The founding president was Stanley Clifton, a merchant tailor with a business in High Street. He had been Mayor of Winchester in 1921-22.

Invited guests at the celebration lunch included the deputy mayor of Winchester Cllr Frank Pearson; Rotarian Nick Vaughan, President Elect of Southampton Rotary (Winchester’s “mother” club); and Rotarian Gilles Thevenin from Winchester’s French twin club in Le Havre.

Also present were Carole Steel, President of the Inner Wheel Club of Winchester and Paul Tipple, President of Winchester Probus Club.

A souvenir booklet detailing the club’s projects and activities from the early days to the present was given to all at the lunch.

The very first project in 1927 was to provide gymnasium facilities for young people in Winchester.

In 1950 the annual Rotary/Inner Wheel party for senior citizens began and continues – attended each year by the city Mayor.

Current projects include “Books for Schools” in Uganda, “Cool Rivers” with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust – and the club’s biggest fundraising event, the annual Clarendon Marathon, which in 2016 raised £30,000.

To conclude the afternoon, a falconry display on the lawn by Paul Manning of Amews Falconry delighted and fascinated everyone and then birthday cake and tea was served and the special guests joined President Fiona in cutting the cake. President-Elect Dominic Hiscock (who succeeds Fiona on July 1) rounded off proceedings with the traditional toast to: "Rotary and Peace the world over".

Ends

Notes for Editors:

Photos: Cutting the Cake (l-r Karen Vaughan, Nick Vaughan, Isabelle Thevenin, Gilles Thevenin, President Fiona Whitehouse, Deputy Mayor Frank Pearson and Anne Pearson);

Founding President Stanley Clifton (apologies for quality)

President Fiona with falcon