River Dart Rotary has officially welcomed Michael Freeman as its new President following the club’s annual handover evening held at the Crafty Mussel Restaurant, Dartmouth.
Michael succeeds Peter Adolphus, who reflected on a successful year that saw the club raise over £15,000 for charitable causes, support local projects, and help deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine through partnerships including PhysioNet.
In accepting the chain of office, Michael paid tribute to the vision of the club’s founding members and highlighted River Dart Rotary’s reputation as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking Rotary clubs in the region.
“River Dart Rotary was founded on the belief that Rotary could be modern, flexible, welcoming and capable of achieving great things. My aim is to continue building a club that people want to be part of, a club that gets things done and isn’t afraid to try new ideas.”
Michael outlined a vision centred on growing membership, strengthening community partnerships, embracing innovation, and making it easier for people to get involved in volunteering and charitable projects.
He highlighted the club’s achievements over the past year, including local fundraising events, food bank support, community projects and international aid programmes. Through a partnership with Events and Stuff Southwest and Rotary Foundation matched funding, the club has also helped fund the vaccination of more than 33,000 children against polio.
“This Rotary club is still new, exciting, and people want to help,” Michael said. “Our role is to make it easy for them to do so. Whether through volunteering, partnerships, sponsorship or simply sharing skills and expertise, everyone has something valuable to contribute.”
Looking ahead to the coming year, the club plans to build on its many community events, skills networking, and fundraisers – while exploring new ways to support local and international causes.
River Dart Rotary meets weekly on Tuesday mornings and welcomes visitors, volunteers and prospective members who would like to learn more about its work.
For more information, visit the River Dart Rotary Facebook page or speak to any club member.
