Welcome to the Rotary Club of Plymouth

Welcome to the home page of the Rotary Club of Plymouth. We are a diverse club of ordinary men and women, young and old. Our club is strongly focused on networking, community service and helping to change lives in the world, with giving back to the community as our common goal. Rotary allows us to do more in partnership than we can as an individual.

Background information about the Club

Formed in 1920, we are coming up to our Centenary year. Our Club is part of a worldwide organisation, which has over 1.2 million members. We meet weekly on a Monday lunchtime at the Royal Western Yacht Club. We enjoy a great meal, great camaraderie and do have excellent guest speakers.

We have many projects to assist the local community as well as the international community. Our members truly get a satisfaction out of knowing they have helped to change lives and do good in the world.

If you are looking to give something back to the community, or helping those in need, then contact us or come to one of our meetings to find out more. We encourage you to visit our ‘future diary’ section regularly, to see the various upcoming activities that the club is taking part in and how you can help. We also encourage you to keep an eye out to the right of this page in the ‘in the next 30 days…’ section, to see what is coming up. 

This website

If you are unfamiliar with this widely used club web site design here is some advice on its features:

The centre section provides details about our activities and projects. In particular, the top section displays forthcoming events or items of interest. Just click on 'Read More' relating to of anything of interest and the full details will be displayed. When appropriate there will be the ability for you to send a message concerning that particular item. Just follow the instructions on the screen.

Across the top of the page there are various links to our activities.

The right hand margin provides details of our forthcoming programme of meetings, events and so on.

Social Media

There is a direct link to our Facebook page in the right hand column.  This is the main source of the latest club activities which we regulaly update.  You can also find us on Twitter with the direct link in the right hand column.

Contacting the Club

Please use the 'Contact' at the foot of this page.

Major activities

Rotary Skills Aid Plymouth

Rotary Skills Aid Plymouth is aimed towards increasing employability skills amongst young people, within the local area. It is a new initiative, which has been pioneered by the Rotary Club of Plymouth.  

This year's project was solely supported by funding from the Clemas Trust - without this funding the project could not have taken place. This year was unique, as it involved young people who were given the opportunity to work with a local professional media company, to produce a promotional video for the local Special Olympics Plymouth and District (SOPD). This is to be a widely-used video to help promote SOPD locally and help to bring the UK Special Olympics National Games to Plymouth in 2021.

Those who took part in the activity had access to all the latest video and software equipment. This equipment enabled the young people to record and create film, edit photos and amend voice recordings of the athletes, their coaches and the volunteers, who together form the SOPD. The project aim was for all who took part to develop a variety of skills, which included filming, editing, interviewing, creating a story, team work and self-reflection – all of which can enhance a CV.

Below is a picture of all of those involved in developing and launching the final video.

Other activities 

Young Artist of the Year Competition

This is our annual competition which is open to those students in secondary education across the City. There are three categories to enter.  Entries are are submitted via the Art Departments at the respective schools/colleges.  

The 2017 competition was held in November 2017.  Over 100 entries were submitted.  As a result the exhibition is considered the best ever.  Gratulations to all who participated and special thanks to the Plymouth College of Art for hosting us again.

Plymouth Food Bank

Club members regularly assist the Plymouth Food Bank in collecting goods at local Tesco stores. We also support events organised by other bodies. These are great fun frequently dressing the part, such as 'Pirates'. These activities have assisted others in raising substantial funds for their specific charities.

Support for Charities

ShelterBox

From time to time the Rotary founded ShelterBox appeals to the public to contribute towards its work in providing relief to those struck by disaster whether man made or natural events.  In the autumn of 2017 the islands in the Caribbean were hit by a succession of hurricanes.  The Rotary clubs in the City pooled their resources to hold street collections in support of ShelterBox. We raised just under £2,000 in total, thank you all who contributed.

We also support events organised by other bodies. These are great fun frequently dressing the part, such as 'Pirates'. These activities have assisted others in raising substantial funds for their specific charities.

Our International Committee has had 'Literacy in a Box' as its focus for support. This charity was started by our colleagues at the Rotary Club of Plymouth Roborough. Its purpose is to support schools in rural Zambia with essential educational materials.

In the run up to Christmas we collect in aid of local charities. Each Autumn our club members discuss and select the four or so local charities to support that year. This coming Christmas we will see the re-introduction of the Christmas sleigh. Former members of the Drake Rotary Club, who have now joined us, wish to continue with the use of their sleigh. The sleigh will tour residential areas with collectors being provided by the charities that will benefit from the collection. The sleigh collections will augment those made at three local major super markets.