Rotary Stars Awards 2024

During 2024, the Rotary Clubs on the Isle of Mann have presented Rotary Star Awards to primary school children at nine schools across the Island. 

The awards go to children, who have “gone the extra mile” to help others, perhaps by raising funds for a charity, standing up for fellow classmates or by helping poorly friends or relatives. The Awards are presented at a special school assembly where one pupil in each year is selected to receive a certificate, a badge and a book or gift token.  Their teacher explains why they have received the award. Many recipients receive warm applause from their peers, confirming that they, too, appreciate their efforts.

The Rotary Star Scheme was set up by the Rotary Clubs to encourage everyone to think how they, too, can do more, and demonstrates that you don’t have to be super-clever or good at sports to be considered a valued member of the group. This is reflected in the Rotary motto “Service Above Self”; Clubs everywhere work to help both the local community and those in need internationally, such as earthquake and war victims. Local projects supported by Rotary include the

The three clubs on the Island work with many groups to provide financial and volunteer support, including the Isle of Man Foodbanks, Southern Befrienders, Port Erin beach festival and Christmas Trees, local Lifeboats and Ramsey’s Queens Pier restoration as well as supporting visual arts on the Isle of Man through the John Nicholson Foundation. Rotarians also run programmes to encourage youngsters on the Island to develop their personal skills through the Young Photographer of Mann competition and the Schools Public Speaking Competition.

President Mark Gilson of the Rotary Club of Rushen and Western Mann said, “Rotary Stars is becoming recognised by a growing number of schools as a way of helping to everyone – teachers and parents as well as the children – to appreciate how important it is to help build a more caring society.”

The nine primary schools participating in Rotary Stars this year were Anagh Coar, Arbory, Ashley Hill, Ballasalla, Manor Park, Onchan, Scoill Phurt le Moirrey, Rushen and Victoria Road, Castletown.