PRESIDENT SANDY MORRISON 2018 / 2019

Sandy is a Anglo-Scot who after many years travelling the world working for Unilever, settled into retirement in Clitheroe with his Wife Heather. 

At the inauguration ceremony Sandy gave thanks to the extremely positive welcoming atmosphere he encountered when he joined Clitheroe Rotary 6 years ago and is both honoured and proud to take up the challenge of being President in these times of change for all voluntary organisations. 

Despite being one of the biggest Rotary Clubs in the North West of England, Sandy says that as President he will maintain a strong recruitment drive (successfully pursued for several years by many Rotarians & more recently by Bill Honeywell) to encourage younger community spirited members in Ribble Valley to join Clitheroe Rotary. 
For this to succeed the club will need to become more flexible in many ways and capture the enthusiasm of our newer younger members for less formal meetings and flexibility on location & habits.  Time will tell if these efforts will achieve the desired results. 

Apart from the recruitment drive Clitheroe Rotary will maintain its strong support through Rotary International for the global Eradication of Polio.  In addition we hope to undertake more projects to help our local community in Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley & we will also continue our efforts to raise funds for a host of smaller local charities similar to the ones which have today received from outgoing President Frank Brown on behave of the Rotarians in the Club. 

The club has also historically been a strong supporter of Emergency Funding to global and regional disasters (including helping Whalley in Dec 2015 and thereafter through the Flood Action Group), a self-help Project in Africa called Mary’s Meals, and projects under taken in places like Nepal by sister clubs in the Rotary District. 
Sandy will continue to support the Club with this work but also support a new activity called “little sun” which since 2012 has focussed on small cheap solar self-charging lights to allow many activities but specifically targeted at children’s learning during darkness in rural Africa.  For every “little sun” we in the UK purchase at +/- £25 for caravans, camping, etc the “little sun” charity will donate a similar lamp to Africa. 
On a personal level, Sandy’s chosen charity for his year is Calvert Trust at Keswick who organise outdoor venture-style activities for physically and mentally restricted teenagers and young adults. 
So like all his predecessors over the years, Sandy is determined to lead the Clitheroe Rotary Club to continue p doing the many Rotary activities to help Individuals and Communities - thus maintaining the traditions of the Club of transforming lives, making a difference and being a non-political inspiration to our community. 
All Examples of the Rotary ethos over the last 84 years of “Service above Self” in the Ribble Valley & Clitheroe Area.
If anyone has a good idea or a needy organisation please feel free to contact Clitheroe Rotary Club. 

Rotarian David Wymer was also installed as President-Elect during the lunch activities. 

For information about Rotary in the Ribble Valley, including the latest flexible way of doing Rotary (perfect for busy people) click here