Name change for Rotary club based in Mid Suffolk

The Rotary Club of Stowmarket Gipping Valley has just changed its name to Mid Suffolk Rotary. 

This is to reflect the wider area the club currently serves which includes not only Stowmarket, but  also the villages and towns of Mid Suffolk.

The club was originally formed in 2002, making it one of the youngest Rotary clubs in Suffolk.

It tends to concentrate on assisting local good causes and charities, although when an international disaster occurs the club usually organises an appeal for money so that it can fund shelter boxes for those whose lives have been devastated by natural disasters.

Another international cause is “Lendwithcare” in which the club lends to entrepreneurs in developing countries to help them develop their businesses by giving them a “hand up” rather than a “hand out”.

Closer to home the club also assists the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service in the provision of smoke alarms to vulnerable households.

The club’s smoke alarm scheme has been so successful it has raised £80,000 over the last seven years and has also involved other Rotary clubs in Suffolk. 

The Moses Project which provides “Moses” baskets full of essential items for new mothers is another charity it supports.

This year the club’s annual concert raised £1,300 for St Elizabeth Hospice.

The club has also made donations to Icanhoe for the purchase of some specialist gloves and to the Stowmarket Town FC youth section and has helped provide a book vending machine for Abbot’s Hall Community Primary School.

Recently it ran a Quiz Night which raised money for two charities: Ormiston Families, helping families of offenders, and the Kids Cancer Charity. 

Since 2002 the club has changed its name three times. It started out as the Rotary Club of Gipping Valley, but found people didn’t know where Gipping Valley is.

So it was decided that it should reflect the town where it is based and the club became the Rotary Club of Stowmarket Gipping Valley. Because it now represents such a wide area it has changed its name again to become Mid Suffolk Rotary.    

It welcomes new members from every walk of life. It doesn’t matter whether they are male or female. The only criteria is they should be relaxed and want to help the community they live in. 

Lifelong friendships can be made within the club which generally we meets every other Thursday.

If you would like further information contact the secretary Philip Freeman at philip.c.freeman@btinternet.com