A LOT has changed in 40 years and one Ongar Rotarian has seen it all – from allowing female members to join to ditching the dress code and allowing shorts.
Tony Moore, 80, a retired youth worker, made it a key priority to get more young members in the club, and he has just been made its president for the second time.
He told the Gazette about how it all started. He said: "I was working as a warden at Budworth Hall when I was recommended to Rotary by the treasurer.
"He told me about it and it seemed a really good thing to get involved with. Now it is nearly 40 years later and here I am.
"Rotary does so much for the community on a local and worldwide basis. We get involved with everything from local events to efforts to eradicate polio.
"The thing about being a Rotarian is that the moment you join you are part of a global community. You are automatically welcome to any Rotary meeting anywhere in the world.
"It is a very special thing to be part of something this big. We try and do as much as we can for charity but there is also the social side of things.
"We meet every Thursday at the Two Brewers in Ongar. We have a meal and a drink and it is a really sociable club.
"We have modernised over the years. The biggest change was when we allowed women to join Rotary.
"I think this was a really good thing. You get much more diversity and you can get many more members.
"We have changed a lot about what we do at meetings as well. We have a lot less speakers coming in and do far more social things.
"What I would really like is to get younger members involved. We have a reputation of being just for old people but we are far more than that.
"Having spent all of my working life as a youth worker I would really like to use my presidency to get some more members through the door.
"We have relaxed the dress code in recent years – we aren't as stuffy as some people might presume, although I am one of the dinosaurs at the club.
"The recent hot weather has led to some of us even wearing shorts," Mr Moore joked.
The Ongar Rotary Club has a busy calendar of local events, many of which aim to raise money for charity.
Mr Moore, who lives in Harlow, said: "Arthritis Research UK is my chosen charity this year. Many, many people suffer the severe pain of arthritis themselves, or have a relative who is so disabled by it that it interferes with their full enjoyment of life.
"We have lots of events coming up to raise money for this cause. A Sponsored Swim is being held at Ongar Leisure Pool on October 27 as part of Arthritis Awareness Week.
"We also have an evening with Eric Pickles coming up on November 8. We are looking forward to meeting him and it is great that a cabinet member has agreed to it."
Anyone who would like to join the Rotary Club of Ongar can call Tony Moore on 01279 415563.
