Membership
This is to be my penultimate report on Membership Services for come
the 30th June or
thereabouts I leave office and hand over to Nigel Danby who has previously
looked after
Rotaract. Nigel will increasingly lake control of Membership Services
matters including
The MS sessions at District Assembly. I urge you all to ensure that
at least one member of
your club attends these membership sessions.
Saturday the 26th April
is the date and I
know that Nigel will have a lot to tell you about, hopefully, he
will lay the groundwork for
an increase in membership next year as well. Yes I did say 'as well'
This year we have
stopped the rot and have a positive increase in membership. The latest
figure I have from
RIBI is dated 31st December which states that our current membership
is 1456
representing an increase of 25 members in the year so far. However,
I hear that the
Warrington Bridgewater Club is to close so you all have a lot of
work to do to make up for
their loss.
Next year I will become my Clubs 75th Year President and in bringing
the history of the
Rotary Club of Radcliffe up to date I came across the following
extract:- "Many
years
ago it was suggested in an American Rotary Club Bulletin that there
were ten stages in the
rise and fall of any social organisation of which the sixth was
success, the seventh
conservatism to guard the success, the eighth was timidity lest
some change be made, the
ninth progressive dry rot, and the tenth can be guessed. If this
poses a real threat to the
picture of this Rotary Club, the answer must be the continued success
of it's purpose.
Fellowship must surely depend on the numbers of members not reaching
a point when it
becomes mere acquaintance, yet at the same time, the introduction
of 'new blood' must
continue but not, one may hope, by hastening the departure of the
ancients." If that rings
true at your club, beware.
Extension
Whilst there are a number of areas being considered for an extension
club, only one has a
current survey approved by RIBI and signed off by our District
Governor Keith, that is
Bradden on the Isle of Man. It is a fact that some local club members
always see
extension in their area as a threat. The fact is that without exception,
wherever a new club
is formed, it invigorates other clubs in the area and membership
increases in those clubs
too. Please do not be negative about extension it can be and probably
will be the lifeline
on which the future or Rotary hinges.
Speakers
All clubs find themselves without a speaker from time to time why
not invite one of the
Membership Services team to come a talk to your club. There are
several of us ready
willing and I trust able to come to your club even at short notice.
Ron Mollard
PS Is this your council meeting below? |
Membership
Services Report February 2008