CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS


How does a club celebrate its centenary? This was the question we faced as Portsmouth & Southsea neared the magic date in 2016. If you think about it, for obvious reasons there is not a lot of relevant experience available but a start on planning for the special year had to be made. Someone had the bright idea of a ‘think tank’ in the guise of the Centenary Committee, ably chaired by Past President Chris Halliwell.


and after several meetings various ideas hardened into firm proposals which were subsequently presented and approved by club council. In no particular order these included a club history; a pull- out Rotary supplement in the local newspaper; a lunch as near as possible to where the first club meeting was held; a formal dinner in Portsmouth Guildhall; a series of evening events featuring prominent ‘sons’ & ‘daughters’ of Portsmouth; a ‘bid’ by local charities for the chance of receiving cash donations from our funds; the adoption of an educational project in the Philippines; visits to daughter clubs.


prepared the club history entitled “The First Hundred Years”. He gathered his information not only from our club records but also from visiting RIBI at Alcester and looking through files relating to our club. The outcome is a superb booklet full of information and interest and a great tribute to Reg’s tenacity in searching out the information.


rapport with the editor of the Portsmouth “News” and a fine pull-out supplement was included with the paper’s issue of 15th September 2016. It included much information about our club in particular and also Rotary in general. There was a small charge for the production but the cost was covered by sponsorship so there was no charge on the club. We have several copies spare so if anyone wants to look at it or has fish & chips to wrap you know where to come!


9th October which was the exact date in 1916 when the first meeting of the club took place at the Sussex Hotel, long since demolished in the remodelling of the Guildhall Square. Nevertheless members did their best to find the precise location, no doubt to the bemusement of passers-by!


who were received in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour, included the Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress, RIBI President Eve Conway, District Governor Chris Slocock, the President of our mother club Edinburgh


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Centenary Dinner held on November 18th at Portsmouth Guildhall was the jewel in the crown of our events. Distinguished guests,


Undoubtedly our We arranged an informal lunch at a local eatery on Our President, David Collins, built up a good Our club Archivist, Past President Reg. Gardner, This committee started with a blank sheet of paper


accompanied by their other halves. The rest of the hoi polloi assembled in the Circle Bar below. Altogether 106 attended our special dinner; they enjoyed the three-course meal followed by the speeches and amusing entertainment by Max Craft.


events proved popular. In September Dillie Keane entertained us on Hayling Island with her amusing anecdotes; in February Sir Michael Owen, son of our Rotarian John & Mary Owen gave an interesting talk to us at Emsworth about his medical career; and in April in Portsmouth Admiral Bawtree entertained us with tales from his maritime past.


successful with their bids for our funds. We had monies on deposit resulting from the disposal of our former youth club and as interest rates were low it was decided to make £20000 available for local charities to bid for as a Centenary Project. Six charities, Portsmouth Division of Girl Guiding; Around & Around; Do Your Best Foundation; Enableability; Off The Record; & Portsmouth Young Carers were successful and shared varying amounts of the total available. Each gave a brief presentation of their work before receiving the grant from our President.


Senior School, our member, Dennis Meadus, also being very much involved in the setting up and making all the arrangements for this project. Funding was obtained by District and Local Rotary Clubs which when enhanced under a grant system by Rotary’s own charity, The Rotary Foundation, amounted to something like $60,000.


We have visited several of our daughter clubs. It is doubtful that we shall be able to go to all in our Centenary Year because in earlier days we were so promiscuous but wherever we have been we have been warmly received and have thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship with our offspring.


very enjoyable and we are so glad our Centenary Committee was in place and working at an early stage – at least if we have got anything wrong we have another 100 years to put it right!


ROTARY WESSEX NEWS I ISSUE 21 I SUMMER 2017 You can see that it has been a busy year, all


Caroline Gwatkin and Joanne Glos visited the Tondo Senior School in Manila to provide and improve the education facilities in the Tondo


Two of our members,


to put on an informal evening with a buffet supper in July in Portsmouth to entertain and present to the charities who had been


We were delighted The ‘sons’ & ‘daughters’ of Portsmouth


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