Sheffield Rotary, the CITY Rotary Club

Rotary in the City

  • What would it take to change the world? Rotary's 1.2 million members believe it starts with a commitment to ‘Service Above Self’ in your local Rotary Club.

  • In more than 34,000 clubs world-wide, you'll find members volunteering in communities to support local initiatives. These might include raising funds for needy causes, providing holidays for underprivileged children, offering their skills to improve lives, supporting education initiatives, providing clean water, combating hunger, improving health and sanitation, working for a sustainable planet Earth and eradicating polio.

  • The Sheffield Club currently has 40 members from a range of backgrounds and the President for 2011-2012 is Bryan Whitfield.

  • The Club has a focus on the ‘City’ aspect of Sheffield and is always seeking to strengthen these ties.

  • We specifically welcome visitors – Rotarians and non-Rotarians - because so much benefit of Rotary comes from fellowship. And from the talents each person brings to the Club. After all, every member of the Rotary Club of Sheffield started as a visitor.

  • Representatives of local businesses are warmly welcomes to our meetings. Our aim is to recruit members in each important walk of life in the city, so that we can all work for a better city.

  • The Lord Mayor, Master Cutler and Sheffield Council’s Chief Executive are Honorary Members of Rotary Club of Sheffield and each speaks to the Club during the year about his/her involvement in city life.

  • A list of past and present Rotarians of the Sheffield Club reflect the industrial, business, academic, civic and voluntary life of the city.

  • The Club has a long history of service to the community of Sheffield, dating back to its formation as the first Rotary Club in this area in 1919.

  • There are now four other Rotary Clubs that meet around the suburbs of the city; however, Rotary Club of Sheffield is the only one that still meets, after 92 years, in the city centre – which is where we focus our activities.

  • Your business, profession, organisation or position should be represented in the CITY Rotary Club.

  • Email and arrange to join us for a meeting … your first visit is free…!

Are there many rules in Rotary?

  • We’re all volunteers, so keep rules to a minimum. But some are needed in order to get things done.

  • There is no formal set dress code, but smart casual is preferred.

  • Cost is currently £12 for a two-course meal with tea/coffee at Monday meetings. However, there is scope to come after the meal to reduce this expense. Ask for details when you come to visit us.

  • Members are expected to attend at least 50% of meetings, which amounts to at least 50% of 45 Mondays per year, when Bank Holidays are taken out.

  • We also have some committees running specific projects. These usually meet in the evening and you get there when you can and do your best to fulfil whatever obligations you make to that committee.

  • Annual subscriptions are around £100, to cover Club administration and fees to Rotary in Britain & Ireland and Rotary International H/Q in Chicago.

  • Can Spouses join too? Yes – we welcome husband and wife partnerships. It works well in Rotary.

  • Any other questions? Email us.

Examples of Guest Speakers:

About twice a month we will enjoy an excellent guest speaker. Topics in 2011 have included:
  • Prof. Peter Redgrave of the Dep't. of Psychology University of Sheffield who is an internationally renowned neurobiologist working on the bits of the brain critically involved in decision making....thus his subject: "Who is it pulling the strings, 'you' or the neurones that I study?"

  • Chris' Henderson: "Barnes Wallis: not just the Bouncing Bomb"

  • Murray Wilson - "They don't take good care of you" - about Aviation, Murray having served on the Civil Aviation Authority.

  • And many more informative and entertaining speakers
Check out our calendar at Meetings and Events for details. Email us for a visit.