About our club

Some information about our club


A brief history

MKGU (as it is affectionately known) was formed in 1993. There are many decades of history of Rotarian activity in Milton Keynes but MKGU was formed to create the only Rotary breakfast club here. This attracts people who are interested in the Rotary ideals of service and fellowship and find the early morning meeting the easiest way to get involved without impinging on a busy day. To broaden attendance, our meeting on the first Thursday of each month is now an evening meeting. 

After 25 years, the Club has developed and become extremely active. We take great pride in our success and the work that we have done to help local (and not-so-local) communities. Don't fall for the stereotype of Rotary being a group of staid old men attending boring meetings following strict protocols and always stumping up more and more of their own money to support this or that cause. Rest assured – this is not MKGU! Our meetings are light-hearted, informal and friendly. When raising money through our active programme of events, we look far beyond our own members!

We get to know each other fairly well, because we all aim to attend Thursday meetings when we are able to and also meet at other functions.  The very best way to test the atmosphere and feel of the club is to come along and join us one Thursday.

What we do

Quite simply, the Rotary ideal is service and fellowship (and having fun at the same time).

Our programme of Thursday speakers and other social and community activities is shown on this website. Speakers are invited on two or three Thursdays in a month covering a wide range of topics including business, local charities, sports and many general activities.

Many of the members come every week, but it’s not compulsory. We recognise that people are so busy these days that they come when they can. And those who turn up irregularly are welcomed whenever they’re able to join us.

MKGU supports a variety of activities and organisations with the objective of raising funds for local, national and international charities. The club president chooses a charity to support each year. Charitable events include Quiz Nights, Golf Days, Barn Dances, Wine Tastings etc. 

One of our biggest events is the Extra Mile cycle challenge that occurs in September each year with up to 200 cyclists taking part in rides in Continental Europe. Our event in 2019 is the Flanders Challenge, although before getting to Flanders, we ente France, Luxembourg and Germany! To date £1,500,000 has been donated to over 250 different charities.

Money raised at our events and activities, is donated to a wide range of local charities and organisations including Willen Hospice, MK Snap and of course to the Worldwide Rotary objective to eradicate polio everywhere.

We give our time to other community events, for example marshalling at the MK marathon and Midnight Moo walk, lending a hand to community projects or local charities. 

We also have some fun together at purely social events organised by members of the club, such as nature and pub walks, theatre trips and meals in local restaurants.


'What We Do' Main Pages:

The winning team of Breege Traynor, Eric Hamilton and John Kelly with Vice President Chris Duff at the MKGU Rotary'End Polio Now' Golf Day

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MKGU Rotary Club 30 year anniversary banner

Our MKGU Rotary President for 2024/25 is Valerie Cooke. Valerie's chosen charity for 2024/25 is Action4Youth https://www.action4youth.org/ MKGU Rotary Club celebrates its' 30 year anniversary in 2024.

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Recent visit to The Gambia

Four years on from completion of a significant project to reduce Malaria in The Gambia thanks to the Rotary Club of Milton Keynes Grand Union (MKGU).

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children playing on new play equipment

Through generous Rotary funding, new play equipment has been installed at Starlight School, Bakau Gambia

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The photographic archive for our club is kept on a Flickr account. You can access it using the link below.

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The Crocuses planted at the Open University, our meeting venue, to mark our commitment to Rotary International's fight to eradicate polio

A brief description of what the Rotary organisation world wide stands for.

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One of our annual quiz nights

Some information about our club

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Tabitha Cobb, Ethel Morris and Maureen McColl were inducted as members of the club in January 2018

Information on how you can get involved with MKGU Rotary

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An intrepid cyclist on the challenge

Our biggest charity effort comes through supporting the organisation of the Extra Mile Challenge annual relay cycling event.

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We have fun together in a variety of social events organised by the club

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MKGU Bursary Awards to Catherine Agunede, Shinta Francis & Rochelle Archer

The Bursary Awards are made each year to students studying for careers in the public sector. This year's award of £300 each was made to students at MK University Hospital NHS Trust, Catherine Agunede, Shinta Francis & Rochelle Archer.

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Local workers starting to survey the drainage route

We are putting our funds, together with a grant from the Rotary Foundation to support a drainage improvement project in the Gambia

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