Shropshire Star

Shropshire Rotary club fighting to survive amid member shortage

A Shropshire Rotary club is "in danger of fading away altogether" with leaders on a recruitment drive.

Published
Whitchurch Rotary Club president Dave Simcock (right) and vice president Steve Chisholm prepare a ‘pop-up’ shop

Due to the way that local communities are changing, the future of Whitchurch Rotary Club is being threatened, the club's president said.

Whitchurch Rotary Club is said to be fighting to survive beyond the next decade, with the club's priority being to attract new members.

Dave Simcock, president of Whitchurch Rotary, said: “It is one of the greatest priorities for this club and others, like us, throughout the UK.

“The main problem is social change. We don’t live in a ‘joining’ culture these days. Therefore, as our members get older, the next generation of younger Rotarians is not replacing them. So our club is in danger of fading away altogether.

“People will join a gym, a golf club, or a social club maybe, but relatively few are joining a club that exists simply to support people and groups, locally and around the world, who desperately need help.

“Whitchurch Rotary Club has served the surrounding area for more than 80 years and local people have first call on whatever help we can offer because, at the end of the day, we belong to this community.

"We like to believe that we do have a future, but how long we can continue will depend on attracting new members.

“Many people still think of Rotary as a ‘men only’ club, or for business people, or some sort of ‘secret society.' It is none of those.

"We’re simply a group of locals who share a common interest in working together and helping others.

“We’ll carry on doing that for as long as we can... but, at the moment, the next 10 years are looking critical.”

For details about how to join Whitchurch Rotary Club, visit whitchurchrotary.org.uk.