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During the Rotary year 1979 The Rotary Club
of Lichfield (which was was formed in the 1930s) decided that another Rotary Club should be formed in the City. Accordingly,
their Club extension officer, at that time Rotarian and former District Governor Ray Dolphin, was authorised to proceed
with this task. An introduction by Founder President Raymond Wright
All the elected members were then called upon to vote for their choice of officers to
serve the new club before proceeding to the inauguration ceremony held, at Drayton Manor Hotel Tamworth, on Tuesday 29 April
1980. That evening the name of the new club was affirmed and 35 founder members received into membership of The Rotary Club
of Lichfield St. Chad.
This club had established it's meeting venue at "The Bowling Green Hotel"
Lichfield from where it increased it's membership and fulfilled it's required period of inaugeration before
proceeding to it's charter on 9 September 1980.
Charter night was a most splendid ceremony and dinner dance
(as evidenced by the document left) and was attended by some 135 guests. Many special guests from Rotary International and
Rotary of Great Britain and Northern Ireland were there together with various District Governors, club Presidents and
members of local clubs in district 106 - later to become district 1060. It was held a the most popular Penns Hall Hotel Sutton
Coldfield where the Dorchester Suite was filled for the ceremony and grand ball. Splendid music was provided throughout by
the band of the Staffordshire Regiment by kind permission of Rotarian member Lieutenant Colonel Ray Smith-Parr.
Lichfield Cathedral and St. Chads Church Lichfield were the inspiration of the Rotary Club name adopted in order to avoid
confusion with the name of our parent - The Rotary Club of Lichfield. Both of these clubs attended a special dedication
service at St. Chads Church where the incumbent Reverend Widdas led the ceremony dedicating the name of The Rotary Club
of Lichfield St. Chad.
The founding generation have made a name for themselves and the Club and we continue to
be grateful to them for the work they have done and are doing to promote the club and for laying the foundations for the next
generation to build on. A rather over-used metaphor you may say but, as our Founder President was a well respected local builder
, entirely appropriate here.
We are fortunate, being a relatively new club , to be able to remember all of our
members since inception and we salute and thank them for their continued guidance and support.
Enough for
the moment then about the past - although this page and other parts of this site documents our heritage in much greater detail
so please be sure not to miss any of it - lets have a look at why Rotary is as relevant today as it was back
then. What is it we do and why do we do it? In short what we do is raise money and offer help to people who cannot
help themselves because they are ill, temporarily unable to support themselves or have never been given the chance in life
that we have. There are, as you can imagine thousands of worthwhile causes and here are examples of just a few.
Our
first commitment is to eradicate polio the world over. We fund mass vaccinations and our mammoth long term effort to achieve
our objective has been matched by none other than Bill Gates. Arguably the most successful businessmen in the world ever who
now devotes himself to using his fortune to help others, Bill Gates has entrusted Rotary with some of his millions to help
us achieve this; our international goal. We have many other international commitments.
However, the strength of
Rotary International lies in the many small Clubs which, like us, meet regularly and come from, and support, the
local community. If you have heard of Help for Heroes you cannot fail to have been moved by the work they do. Have a look on
our Club Photo Album Page at how we contributed to this cause - positively and immediately. These funds were handed over
earlier this year by our Club (and many others) and this action demonstrates our ability to react and respond while at
the same time confirming our understanding of what people want us to do to help our own as well as those in need elsewhere.
In short, and it is a fact, we are in touch with people locally (see Blind Dave on the Club Photo Album page),
across the UK (Help for Heroes) and around the Globe (polio eradication/water-aid/disaster relief).
As for
the why do we do it question - we do it because it is the best investment of our time and effort that we could ever hope to
make. If you want to know more about joining us there will shortly be a profile on our come and join us page together
with lots more information.
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Ray Wright with Rev. John Widdas at the special dedication service, 28th September 1980.
Rev. Widdas completed his longest term of service at St Chad’s Lichfield where he was a minister for 12 years. For nine years of his time at St Chad’s he was also rural dean of Lichfield. |
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Founder President of the Rotary Club of Lichfield St Chad with
Diana - 9th September 1980 |
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The visit to the Club by the RIBI President 1989
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Ray and Diana, Sam and Judy. Blackpool 1981
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John Baker with Mike
Cook |
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David Ratcliffe with John Rootham
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Sid Harlow with Paul Shepherd
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Brian Lomas with John Davies
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Ron Bailey with Ken Sharman |
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Ken Sharman at Cars
in the Park with Lloyd Jackson |
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Paul Cooper with John
Hayes AG |
Ken Sharman and David
Larkin hold off the rain as Gordon and Audrey Moores plant away |
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Alan Rogers |
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Presidential Pair - David and Rosemary
This image has been scanned for us (from a very small black and white newspaper clipping found in Rosemary's papers) by a printer friend of David. The original picture and text appeared in the Lichfield Mercury of July 27th, 1988 with the following text: A Lichfield couple are discovering that two presidents in one household can get along just fine. |
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Brian W Lomas PHF Club President 1989/1990 |
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Got any photos for inclusion on this page? |