OUR HISTORY - past and present

A brief history of the Rotary Club of Cambridge together with some records which might be of interest to the wider audience


Here is a complete list of all members of the club since it was founded in 1922
From time to time the club grants Paul Harris Fellowships and the Roger Asbury Award 

The brief history of the club

Founded in 1905 on the ideas of Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer, Rotary was originally confined to the U.S.A. It soon spread to the U.K. clubs being established in Belfast 1911, London 1912, and Manchester 1913.

The idea was infectious and Rotary came to Cambridge in 1922, only four years after the end of the Great War, as it was then known.

E.S.Peck, a pharmaceutical chemist, who became our first President, along with C.B. Bowes, a bookseller, set up a small committee with the object of forming a club. This led to 31 men being invited to become founder members.
The first meeting took place on the 20th June 1922 and our Charter; Rotary International Club 1416 is dated 28th September 1922.

This pioneer group consisted of men from diverse trades and professions, one of the strengths of Rotary being the belief that all occupations are worthy of respect and have a contribution to make. The spread continued, with our Club encouraging the founding of Cambridge South 1966, Cambridge Rutherford 1983, and Cambridge Sawston 1987.

Harnessing the skills and enthusiasm of individuals in our Club has resulted in many successful achievements, some being worldwide, and others at local level. In 1928, the Club supported the formation of The Cambridge Preservation Society, and the Club was the inspiration behind the establishment of the Cambridge Folk Museum in 1934. Support was also given to the Y.M.C.A and members were active in the support of their Boy's Club until its demise in 1962.

After W.W.2 the pace of change accelerated and the world became much more inclusive. So has Cambridge Rotary. The Club has become dual gender and our first lady president was appointed in 2002.

Changes in technology have made it much easier to communicate, with the result that more recent projects have included support for disaster relief via Shelter Boxes, a Rotary inspired charity. Our own Club has organised and transported caravans to provide help to families made homeless by earthquakes in Italy in 1980 and later Greece and Turkey 1999.

At a local level, activities have included practical and physical support for educational projects concerned with drugs and their effects, mock interviews to help young people to improve their presentation techniques, courses to promote leadership and team building, and inter school tournaments in conjunction with the university to develop design and practical skills.

The Club has also sponsored concerts and events to raise money for local charities. The list is endless and will continue to be so.

In the words of a Club member, echoed by one of our lady presidents, we must continue to adopt, adapt and improve.

With help, perhaps yours, we shall.

'What We Do' Main Pages:

'Balance' by Dan Barrett, age 17

The results of our annual competition

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We have become one of only four Rotary Clubs to be awarded a Platinum Certificate, in recognition of donations to Shelterbox of £10,200 in 2022-3

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Rotary Clubs worldwide are spear-heading the drive to eliminate polio

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We have recently started supporting this successful and worthwhile cause

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There are many myths and pre-conceptions about Rotary - this page seeks to dispel them.

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Several of our entrants last year had success at District level and one was a winner of the National final

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Our popular annual competition focusses this year on 'Waste Minimisation'

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Our annual competition for budding artists - our entrants all won the second stage District Competition last year

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Our popular event for school choirs and their families & friends raised over £15,000 for local children's charities

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We organise two-day breaks at a National Trust site in N Norfolk for young people aged 12-15 who probably won't get any other holiday

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Combating AMR is the focus of this year's President's Charity, Antibiotic Research UK

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We raised funds supporting Ukrainians both in Ukraine and in Cambridge & East Anglia from several events in 2022

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Chloe Folkes, 3rd National Prizewinner

Our Senior Winner Chloe Folkes has received 3rd Prize in the National Competition

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34 of our members and friends are walking to plant trees with Treekly

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Our members take part in many hands-on activities as listed below

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Past President John Martin uses his building skills to help the locals create a community centre for this deprived settlement in The Gambia, only a few miles from the luxurious tourist resorts on the coast

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The East Anglian District and National Rotary Magazines feature the wide range of charitable and fellowship activities that Rotary Clubs enjoy

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We and our colleagues in the three other Cambridge clubs celebrated 100 years of Rotary service in 2022

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Our inaugural competition for budding computer experts, for the Francis Hookham Trophy

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Read the story behind this map and visit any of the operational WW2 UK RAF and USAAF airfields

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We are part of a worldwide movement of 46,000 Rotary clubs with a total of 1.4 million members. We enjoy a range of informal fellowship events while supporting local and international charities

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Cambridge Aid does great work in support of Cambridge residents in need. In 2019-21 we raised over £12,500 and we continue to support them

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RYLA offers an intensive 7-day course for 18-26 year-olds, helping them to develop as future leaders

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A sample of our members' varied interests and significant contributions to the local community

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A brief history of the Rotary Club of Cambridge together with some records which might be of interest to the wider audience

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Our members raised £1366 for Children in Need in Cambridge Market Square on 20 November 2021

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