The Club

Wrington Vale is a richly diverse and largely rural area of North Somerset, close to the city of Bristol, and which lies to the north of the Mendip Hills - an area of outstanding natural beauty. It is famed for cider manufacturer and, being located close to Cheddar, for dairy and cheese production.

The Rotary Club of Wrington Vale has a catchment area that roughly extends to Congresbury in the North, through Wrington and Butcombe to Blagdon in the East, down to Axbridge in the South and then West to Banwell, Locking and Worle.  It encompasses the vilages of Winscombe, Sandford, Shipham, Churchill, Langford and Burrington.

The Rotary Club of Wrington Vale meets on every Wednesday evening. For 17 years up until the end of 2017, the meeting venue was the Burrington Inn. The Burrington Inn is located within the famous Burrington Combe, a carboniferous limestone gorge on the north side of the Mendip Hills where according to legend Augustus Montague Toplady was inspired to write the hymn Rock of Ages while sheltering under a rock in the combe.

After hearing that the Burrington Inn has been sold for redevelopment, members elected that Barley Wood House in Wrington would be the ideal location for our new home. Commencing from the 3rd January 2018, meetings  are now held every Wednesday evening at Barley Wood commencing with a reception from 7.00pm and a meal at 7.30pm.

Barley Wood is a magnificent country house set in 11 acres of woods and parkland within the stunning North Somerset countryside. Built in 1844, this important grade two listed building is steeped in history and was formerly the home of Hannah More, the social philanthropist.

Rotarians can enjoy a meal and fellowship, discuss club business and can hear from a wide range of guest speakers at the weekly meetings. In addition the weekly meetings, the club also conducts various service projects within its local community, and may also participate in special projects involving other clubs in the local district. The club also holds regular social and charitable fundraising events.

In common with all other Rotary Clubs, the Rotary Club of Wrington Vale elects its own president and officers among its active members for a one-year term. Rotary clubs enjoy considerable autonomy within the framework of the standard constitution and the constitution and bylaws of Rotary International. The governing body of the club is called the Council and consists of the club president, the president-elect, the club secretary, the club treasurer, and the chairs of the major club committees - club service, community and vocational service, youth service, and international service.

The Rotary Club of Wrington Vale is a member of an international service organization called Rotary International. The long established objective of Rotary International is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world.

Rotary is a secular organization open to all people regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, or political preference. The Rotarian's primary motto is "Service Above Self".

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service
2. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society
3. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life
4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

This objective is set against a set of ethical guidelines known as the "Rotary 4-Way Test". The 4-Way Test considers the following questions in respect to thinking, saying or doing:

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?