Hansard

I lodged today’s motion as an opportunity to praise the excellent work of Rotary district 1020, which covers my constituency in the Borders as well as much of the south and east of Scotland. Last year, district 1020 members picked up two out of 12 Rotary champions of change awards, which recognise contributions to humanitarian services worldwide. I take the opportunity to welcome those members and other Rotarians from Duns, Dunbar, Larbert, Galashiels, Edinburgh and elsewhere to the gallery this evening.

Tonight’s debate is also an opportunity to hear about the good work that is being done by other districts and Rotarians across Scotland. There is much good work to speak about, so I thank members from across the chamber who have signed the motion and who are here tonight to join me in acknowledging the contributions of Rotarians to improving the lives of Scots and people elsewhere.

Rotary was formed in 1905 in Chicago by Paul Harris, who was a Chicago attorney who with five others founded the Rotary Club of Chicago. Those pioneers decided to hold meetings in each other’s homes on a rota basis, hence the name “Rotary” was adopted.

In 1906, the very first act of Rotary service was the provision by the Chicago club of a public toilet outside Chicago city hall. From that small beginning, every year Rotary clubs undertake practical acts of service in communities across the world, and they have gone on to represent 1.2 million members. Rotary also operates the largest educational scholarship programme in the world in the form of the Rotary Foundation, and finances the largest humanitarian programme anywhere.

Closer to home, Rotary district 1020 covers much of the south and east of Scotland, from South Queensferry to the Scottish Borders and from Kilsyth to Newton Stewart, including Edinburgh. It has some 1,700 members, several Rotaract clubs for 18 to 30-year-olds and a growing number of RotaKids clubs for primary schools. Like other Rotary districts, 1020 does a huge amount of fantastic and worth-while work. Rotary clubs utilise the skills, expertise and dedication of their members to help to improve the lives of people in communities at home and abroad. In the UK, that is more than 50,000 men and women from all walks of life working towards positive change in neighbourhoods near and far. Whether it was fundraising for local charities, volunteering at local residential homes, working with disadvantaged children, arranging the local firework or flower displays, we have all come across worth-while projects in our constituencies.

Internationally, Rotary clubs reach out to people in need; for example, people who are suffering from disease or malnutrition, or who are first responders to natural disasters. [Interruption.]