What do we do at Horwich Rotary?

Being a member of the Rotary Club is all about service to the local community, to quote the Object of Rotary, "... to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise". How do we do this? We meet every week to develop and encourage new ways (and socialise) but currently we have two major fundraising events each year and then distribute what we raise to worthy causes, mainly in the local community but also to improve communities in the "third world".

Our two main fundraising events are the Horwich Beer Festival over the first weekend in September and Santa's Sleigh in December.

If you would like to find out more about the Rotary Club of Horwich and possibly get a taste of one of our meetings or help with one of our events, email the secretary, Pat Byrne - sec.horwich.rotary@gmail.com.

Recent events

Celebrating Joe Sanderson's Centenary

On April 9th, the club celebrated Honarary Rotarian, Joe Sanderson's forthcoming 100th birthday with a party at Horwich RMI Club. Guests included members of Joe's family and other longstanding Honarary Rotarians.

Launch of 2026 Dragon's Den Competition is now under way

Application forms are now available for local groups and charities to compete for one of the grants that are awarded as part of Horwich Rotary's "Dragon's Den" format competition. This is one of the ways that Horwich Rotary distribute funds that we raise from the Beer Festival and Christmas Collection. 

Here is the application form:

Winter Hill Air Disaster Memorial Service
On Friday. Feb 27th 2026, members of Horwich Rotary, Horwich Heritage and the Mayor of Horwich, Victoria Rigby, gathered in front of the plaque for the annual service to remember the Winter Hill Air Disaster of 1958. The service was led by Rotarian David Griffiths.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1l3c7mSGMDU?rel=0

2025

The 2025 Youth Achievement Awards Evening took place on November 26th at Chorley New Road Primary Academy. Many thanks to Headteacher, Linda Burrows, for providing the facilities.

The following awards were made:

THE PHIL GIBBS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

AMELIA CROMPTON – Waterpolo, BLAIZE TINGLE – Wrestling, ELLA LEADBEATER-KELLEHER – Irish Dance.

HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

RILEY BUTTERWORTH – Motocross, OSCAR BURKE – Golf, XAVIER GOOD – Golf, XANDER GOOD – Golf, JACK FLETCHER – Athletics, HARRIETT GREENHALGH-BAXTER – Tenor Horn, SOFFIAH HARRISON – Trampolining, ELEANOR HOLLAND – Singing, MADELEINE HORNBY – Ballet, MIA KIPLING – Wrestling, HEATH MASON – Swimming, IZZY PENDLEBURY – Football, NAOMI SPIELMANN – Ballet, NOAH SPIELMANN – Ballet, HARRISON STOKES – Athletics, LEAH STOKES – Dance.

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

NAYAN CHANDARANA – Music, GRACE FREARY – Triathlon, PHOEBIE HARRISON – Diving,  HOLLY JONES – Squash, JUDE KAY – Tennis, EVE MACDONALD – Dance, LUCAS MARTINDALE – Rugby, REIS MARTINDALE – Football, SARAH LAWMAN – Athletics. SOPHIE MASON – Cross Country, ADVIKA PRASAD – Piano, ISAAC SPIELMAN – Ballet, ANNABELLE WHITE – Football, CALLUM WILKINSON – Swimming, IMOGEN WAKEFIELD – Dance.

A video of some of the evening is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXI1msjcO6U

September and October

Beer Festival September 12th-13th

Photos will be re-uploaded shortly.

Dragon's Den

A very successful Dragon's Den event was held on June 25th at Horwich RMI Club in which awards totalling £3,400 were given out to the winning local clubs/organisations. Check out the highlights video on the HorwichRotary YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6KWC7s2oGM

Phil Jones becomes 2025-26 Club President

After serving many years as Club Secretary, Phil is our Club President for 2025-26. Phil also served as acting president after the sad death of Mick Scott.

Highly successful Charter Evening

2025 Charter Evening celebrated the 80th anniversary of the incorporation of the Rotary Club of Horwich.
Here are some of the photos of the eveing held at Rivington Barn.

Club President, Michael Scott

The Rotary Club of Horwich are deeply saddened to announce the death of our current Club President, Michael (Mick) Scott who passed away to higher service this morning.

Mick was a hard working contributor to many of the club’s activities, particularly as a member of the Community Committee and recently as President.

We were aware that Mick had not been in the best of health in the past few weeks, but his passing has come as a shock to us all.

Visit to Rotary Club of Douglas

President Mike and Vice President Phil went over to the Islc of Man to look at the project “Hairpin Woodland Trust” which the Rotary Club of Horwich have helped to initiate.

The Rotary Club of Douglas have pledged to raise £100,000 over the next few years to help create this huge woodland park, along with the Woodland Trust. Trees are being planted in a variety of areas to increase the woodland, between the Hairpin Bend and Milltown, to increase its footprint.

A new car park is waiting for final planning approval, along with pathways and gates, to give anyone visiting a variety of new options through the woodland, including swings and wooden structures.

Photos of President Mike, Vice President Phil and Howard Callow, Secretary of the Rotary Club of Douglas, at the memorial tree, planted at the 50th Anniversary of the Winter Hill Air Disaster.
Photos of new planting in the fields below the woodland around the Hairpin Bend, near Ramsey.
Photo of President Mike, Vice President Phil, with President Tony, the President of the Rotary Club of Douglas and Howard Callow, secretary of the Rotary Club of Douglas. Info and photos provided by Geoffrey Pearson.

Rotarian Peter Smith

Winter Hill Air Disaster Memorial Service

Members of Horwich Rotary joined the Town Mayor, Cllr Ian Aldcroft, and members of Horwich Heritage on February 27th at Winter Hill mast in a service to remember those who lost their lives in the disaster. Here is the video of the service led by Rotarian Revd. David Griffiths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBR1rSSPnM4

Follow up to Children's Christmas Party

Rotarians Margot Mather and Phil Jones present Wendy (School Officer Manager at Chorley New Road Primary Academy) with a cheque from the Rotary Club of Horwich for the support that the school gave us for the 2024 Christmas Children’s Party.

The School Staff provided not only the main hall and stage but also set up a special Grotto for Father Christmas to give each child a “Christmas Selection Box” and one member of Staff supported Santa as his Elf.

Over 90 children attended from the five primary schools of Blackrod and Horwich and were entertained by “Smiley” the Clown and this was followed by a disco run by Anthony the Deputy Head Teacher .

The support that our Club received from Head Teacher Lynda Burrows and all her staff was above and beyond and the cheque was just a small way of the Horwich Rotary Club members showing their appreciation.

2024

Santa's Sleigh - December - this is now under way with 11 evenings scheduled for touring the streets of Horwich and Blackrod plus four days at local supermarkets (Aldi/Iceland and Tesco). The sleigh has been refurbished ready for heading out.

Youth Achievement Awards - Nov 20th, St. John's Methodist Church 

This year's Youth Achievement Award Scheme yet again attracted a high volume of quality applicants from young people who either live or are educated in Horwich or Blackrod.

This year we introduced the Phil Gibbs Award for Outstanding Achievement and this went to Annalisa Gilmore for her achievements in Musical Theatre. In the past year, since recieving an award in 2023, Annalisa has appeared on the West End stage at His Majesty's Theatre in a production of Across The Line, sang on the pitch at Old Trafford at half time to sing a Manchester Medley, appeared in West Side Story at the Chris Eccleston Theatre, been chosen to perform a monologue for Tom Glynn-Carney, filmed for a CBBC production to be aired in 2025, and completed her first year of Musical Theatre Studies with distinction.

The following recieved Higher Achievement Awards

RILEY BUTTERWORTH – Motocross, AMELIA CROMPTON – Water polo, XAVIER GOOD – Golf, ERIN GREENHALGH-BAXTER – Cornet, HARRIETT GREENHALGH-BAXTER – Tenor Horn, CHARLOTTE HARRIS – Tennis, SOFFIAH HARRISON – Trampolining, ELEANOR HOLLAND – Singing,   ELEANOR KAY – Swimming, MEGAN KIPLING – Wrestling, MIA KIPLING – Wrestling, ELLA LEADBEATER KELLEHER – Irish Dance,  LUCAS MARTINDALE – Gymnastics, IZZY PENDLEBURY – Football, LUCY PICKETT – Tennis, ABBIE SLATER – Trampolining, NOAH SPIELMANN – Ballet, HARRISON STOKES – Athletics, BLAIZE TINGLE – JiuJitsu,

The following recieved standard Achievement Awards

OSCAR BURKE – Athletics, NAYAN-RISHI CHANDARANA – Guitar, ARCHIE FISHER – Swimming, JACK FLETCHER – Athletics, WILL HAMES – Football, BENJAMIN HIGGINS – Athletics, MAX KNIGHT – Drumming, EVE MACDONALD – Dance,  REIS MARTINDALE – Football, JACK MURRAY – Cricket, MADDISON O’BRIEN – Dance Abilities Pom, GEORGE PICKETT – Hockey, NAOMI SPKIELMAN – Ballet, LEAH STOKES – Dance, BOBBY TURNBULL – Music, LILY WATTS – Athletics.

Overall, a total of £6000 was allocated to help these talented young people with their future development. This money has been raised by members of the Rotary Club of Horwich during the past Rotary Year.  The Rotary Club of Horwich wishes to thank the people of Horwich and Blackrod for their generosity and feel that this scheme is an excellent way of investing in the talent of our young people.

A full video can be seen on Youtube.

More 2024 events

Horwich Rotary Beer Festival - Sept 6th to 8th

Despite atrocious weather, the Horwich Beer Festival which was also supporting the Festival of Horwich was again a success, raising thoudands of pounds which we can then use for our donations (e.g.Youth Achievement Awards, Dragon's Den, Children's and Senior Citizens' parties) throughout the coming year.

Charter Evening - May 21st

An excellent time was had by Rotarians and our guests at this year's Charter Evening held at Rivington Hall Barn.

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