District 1090
Club ID 19270
Service above self
OUR CLUB
In 1974, thanks to the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Oxford, the charter of the Rotary Club of Oxford North was given to its founding members under the baton of Frank Dennie, the then new president.
There is still one member in our club who was one of the founding members, Bob Buckingham.
We have many long-standing members with us, enjoying the energy and conviviality of our club. Back then, the meeting place was at 333 Banbury Road, North Oxford, although the club was asked to move, as apparently the members were not drinking nearly enough! They eventually found their way back to 333 Banbury Road and stayed until the site was sold off.
We now reside at The Cotswold Lodge Hotel and bar attendance is never an issue!
Although the club administration remains basically the same, back then there were appointments which included an Attendance Officer and a Speaker Secretary. Nowadays, we don't need a Speaker Secretary as everyone in the club has a duty to find an entertaining speaker, and in the erudite and ever-changing face of Oxford, that isn't usually a problem. Attendance was taken seriously back then and some members may find that not having an Attendance Officer now is a huge relief for them, as a few of our members are still active in work, while others are now grandparents and have family or other community commitments.
Regular attendance is definitely encouraged as it brings in the news, the ideas for future activities and events, and ensures members are supported and appreciated.
The President’s charity for 2025/2026 is Restore, an Oxfordshire-based charity, established in 1977, which, through therapeutic activities, coaching and training, offers practical help and support to people with mental health
problems, so that they can rebuild their skills and confidence, and thereafter pursue their individual goals in life.
Rotary Club of Oxford North has supported a number of good causes over the past decade including:
• St Mungo’s (Somewhere Safe to Stay, Oxford) which provides support andshort term accommodation to those who are at risk of homelessness or whoare new to rough sleeping
• Motor Neurone Disease Association The MND Association focuses onimproving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• The Gatehouse is a community drop-in centre with over 30-years’ experience in reaching out to, and supporting adults who are homeless, vulnerably housed, on low or no incomes. They operate on an open access basis that reduce barriers and social isolation
• Flexicare is the only charity in the country to give special valuable help to families with severely disabled children. It provides free, fully flexible, specialised sitting services for families with children with disabilities.
• KidsOut is a charity dedicated to supporting some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children with positive and happy experiences.
• Oxfordshire Projects (TRAX) exists as a safety net for young people struggling with recognised paths through education. When things have got tough and even alternative provision is not working, or even at the risk of issues becoming apparent, TRAX steps in.
• VacProj! (Lincoln College Vacation Project) is Lincoln College’s Junior Common Room charity that works with disadvantaged children known to social services in and around Oxfordshire.
• Arc-T is a local charity whose aim is to tackle inequality, and to help people of all ages to build their confidence and unlock their potential by engaging in creative and art-related activities in a friendly and welcoming environment.
Moreover, the club has given financial winter support for Ukraine and Shelter Boxes for earthquake relief in Turkey & Syria. We donate to the worldwide polio eradication program ‘End Polio Now’ - funded jointly by Rotary International and The Bill Gates Foundation.
Our fundraising activities include:
• Organised music concerts • Golf Day • Bridge drive • Charity walks
Handover meeting 2022
Sunday International meeting 2024
