2010/11 President David English

The Club received its Rotary Charter on the 22^ndJanuary 1976 and the first President was school headmaster Ray Jones (deceased). Since then the Club membership which currently stands at 15 has fluctuated between 36 and just 13.

At District level P.P.Tony Markley & P.P.Chris Greenwood (moved away) served on the membership committee while P.P.Ray Johnson who now lives abroad served on the Foundation committee.

One of the main events in the Rotary year at Silloth is the Open Golf Tournament which is always a sell out and raises a substantial amount for Rotary charities. Other events include persuading Father Christmas to visit to hand out selection boxes to the children of the town and helping with the annual kite festival on the green.

The senior citizens of the town enjoy the sing-along at the social club in March, the annual coach trip which takes place in August, and the Christmas party also in the social club which are all organised by theCommunity & Vocational chairman.

For a number of years now P.Ps.Tim Barker & Geoff Betsworth using local newspapers have recorded a monthly newsletter on cassette which is distributed by the club members to anyone in the area who is blind or partially sighted.

In 2004 former member and P.P. Charlie Harrison took part in the trip to “Jinga” Uganda as part of the Rotaract school building project.

The Club's Centenary project was to plant an Oak tree on The Green. The project was completed this year when seating(constructed by club members) was installed around the base of the tree.

The club and in particular fomer member P.P.Peter Gilmour has been responsible for getting the Rotary logo put on the side of the Great North Air Ambulance. P.P.Peter was also the driving force behind the setting up of the Silloth First Responders.

The Silloth Club enjoys taking part in the various sporting events the district has to offer and has in the past repeatedly had the honour of winning (three times in four years) the much coveted (NW) District Darts Pool & Dominoes trophy. The club has also won the district quiz in the past.

The “Dialect Competition” which was the brainchild of P.P.Walton Slack was very popular for a number of years but ceased following his death. However, the club under the supervision of P.P. Tim Barker reinstated the competition in 2003 and it is now regaining its former popularity with competitors travelling from far and near to recite their chosen (usually self penned) pieces in Cumbrian dialect.

Due in no small part to the generosity of the people of Silloth and the surrounding areas, the club has been able to donate no less than eight ShelterBoxes in the past Rotary year. When you consider that half our catchment area includes amongst others shrimps, flatties, dolphins and maybe even mermaids of the Solway Firth, that is a significant achievement.

If you are a fellow Rotarian and plan to visit us, please try to contact the secretary or another club officer beforehand. That way we can ensure that a meal will be available and that you can be properly welcomed. Please note that Rotary meetings are not open to non-Rotarians unless invited by a member of the Rotary Club of Silloth-on-Solway or they are accompanying a visiting Rotarian.

      Aerial photo courtesy of SimonLedingham and a more unusual view of Silloth from Geoff Betsworth