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The Rotary Club of Didcot, South Oxfordshire, England.

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History of Rotary in Didcot

Founder Members

The seed for Rotary to germinate and grow in Didcot was sown at an informal discussion in the High with Rotarians of the Abingdon club in early 1973. Also present on that occasion were two other prominent local businessmen, Wilfred Bliss and Guy D. Vernon. All three were later to become founder members of the Didcot club.

The first meeting was to be followed about four months later by a dinner, arranged by the Abingdon club at the Red Lion Hotel, to which half a dozen local businessmen and the Mayor (Councillor R.A. Janes) were invited and at which they offered to try to form a club in Didcot. At a second meeting at the Red Lion on May 18th.

1973 the first lunch meeting, those present, who included three members of the Oxford club, unanimously passed a resolution to proceed with the formation of the Didcot club. The Club Charter, indicating membership of Rotary International, is dated November

1974, although the charter was not officially presented until the following January 18th. The Charter Dinner was held at the Oak Room (then the Mayor’s parlour) with 16 founder members, which were to experience considerable difficulty in finding the kind of projects Rotary Clubs were expected to encourage because of the prosperity in the town at the time. There was talk of entertaining elementary schoolchildren to a cinema visit and finding jobs for a few of the unemployed from South Wales, who had taken up residence in the town. The Club hit a bad patch in the late 1970’s and almost closed, but a general meeting in 1980 set about breathing new life into the Club, and it has never looked back. In fact it has “Fathered” one other Club Sinodun. The Club’s programme was extended whereas it had been little more than a luncheon club and membership increased. Then meetings were held at various locations in Didcot for a time until the club move from the Didcot Civic Centre, and we now meet at the Steventon House Hotel, Milton Hill, Abingdon.  Rtn Gordon Walker is the only founder member still with the club. The Club is now one of the many in District 1090.

1974 (from the original charter meeting held 15th May 1974 at the Abbey Hall, Abingdon)

Council

Members

Presidents from 1974 to date + Past District Governors 1090