Club President 2023/2024

IT’S ALL CHANGE AT ROTARY ELGIN

Martin Birse who has led the Club since July 2022, has handed the reins across to Michelle Anderson.

Michelle has been a member of Rotary Elgin for 10 years during which time she has undertaken several different roles in the Club.  

Rotary runs in the Anderson family, with her brother who resides in America, being Past President of Lincoln Woodstock Rotary Club. Her niece, now a member of Interact,  is a  Past President of Earlyact and now her twin nephews are members of Earlyact.

Aside from her busy banking career with RBS that has spanned 27 years, and her voluntary work with Rotary,  Michelle has heavily supported the community in so many other ways.  Presently she is a Director on the Board at Elgin Town Hall for the Community,  where her main activities include managing the Volunteers and the Bar Staff.  

Each Rotary year has its own theme, and this year President of Rotary International –  Gordon McInally who is a member of Rotary South Queensferry and the second Scot to lead the 1.4million member organisation in its 118 year history  - has chosen as the theme for this year  “Create Hope in the World”.  Michelle firmly believes that all the activities that Rotary Elgin will undertake this year will create “hope”, no matter how small or big a change that may make to someone’s life.

A busy diary is already scheduled with some different events planned, although public favourites, such as Bonfire Night and Bothy Ballads will remain firmly on the cards.   The annual Summer Community Event in Elgin’s Cooper Park will be held on the first Sunday in June 2024, whilst some of the new events will include Walk for a Mile, a community event for the public and the entire family of Rotary.  This event will aim to raise funds for “End Polio Now” and will coincide around the time of  World Polio Day in October.   Coffee Mornings will be going “on the road” so keep an eye out when one may reach your village, and plans are afoot to deliver the very first “Rotary does Strictly”.

The Rotary Family currently includes Rotakids Clubs that are based across several Primary Schools in Elgin and its surrounding areas and Moray Rotaract who are an active club for 18-30’s. During the coming year Michelle hopes that an Interact Club aimed at young people aged 12-18 years can be formed, since that would complete the Rotary Family in Elgin.

Rotary Elgin currently has 60 members and attracting new members will be a priority for Michelle as will bringing events to the community.  If you want to know more about Rotary,  or become involved in community led activities, whilst having fun and making new friends, then please don’t hesitate to contact the club.  Rotary Elgin meets every Thursday evening from 6pm at Johnstons of Elgin and more  information can be found at www.elgin.rotary1010.org

Meantime Michelle has expressed her thanks and appreciation to Martin for his commitment over the last 12 months and also to Aleisha Kelman who has lead Moray Rotaract for the past 3 years.  Aleisha’s Presidency role has been handed over to Ryan Anderson and Michelle wishes Ryan every success and looks forward to working together.