Keeping the ship on an even keel is one of the priorities of Dartmouth Rotary’s new President, Peter Goldstraw, who was sworn in recently.

After a highly successful term in office, outgoing President Bernard Young has stood down.

Accepting the chain of office, Peter praised Bernard’s steady hand throughout the challenges and opportunities and thanked his wife, Lyn, for the essential and valuable support she provided.

Outlining his aspirations for his forthcoming term in office, Peter emphasised the value of maintaining a steady course and keeping the ship on an even keel.

The Dartmouth club was delighted to welcome Rotary’s Assistant District Governor Adrian Laurie to the handing-over ceremony at the George and Dragon public house.

The first Rotary club was formed in Chicago in 1905. There are now 46,000 clubs worldwide with 1.4 million members. Each club looks for ways to benefit and serve its community and to jointly work on projects internationally.

If you are at a stage in life where you find you have more time and would like to give a little back to the community you live in, and even further afield, being involved with Rotary as a Friend might be an attractive way for you to start. A Friend is not a member of Rotary and so is not subject to the responsibilities of full membership. Rather, a Friend has a formal association with the club, which provides an avenue to participate in club activities.

To be enrolled as a Friend of Dartmouth Rotary, you will be nominated by a member, and the nomination will be approved by the Club Council. Friends are encouraged to attend at least one meeting or social event each quarter and to help with one fundraising or service activity each year.

Dartmouth Rotary meets weekly at the George and Dragon, and Friends receive meeting minutes, website access and the option to apply for full membership at any time.