What is Rotary

Rotary, or more accurately Rotary International (RI), is a global network of service volunteers. It is the world's largest service organisation for business and professional people, with some 1,230,000 members belonging to 31,000 clubs in 166 countries world-wide.

There are some 58,000 Rotarians in Great Britain and Ireland in 1,845 clubs, helping those in need and working towards world understanding and peace. Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) is our umbrella organisation, and this is devolved down to 7 zones and 29 districts Aberystwyth is in District 1150 . All Rotary clubs meet on a regular basis, which allows members to build firm friendships. Every Rotarian has a right to attend any Club meeting anywhere in the world, so there is always somewhere to go, and people to meet, wherever business or leisure travel may take you.

The Object of Rotary is to foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage:
      FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
      SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the   dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
      THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business and
community life;
      FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

.Various Clubs have different emphases. Some concentrate on local community or vocational projects whilst others link up with a sister club in another country to undertake an international project. Each Club decides how it wants to use the resources it has available. In Aberystwyth we have always placed considerable emphasis on supporting local needs, with the "All under one roof" centenary area project being a recent example. At the same time, we do not neglect wider needs, as is shown by our link with a Rotary club in Buyege, Uganda, in raising money  to provide clean water well for the village.