I am incredibly proud to be Rotary International Director for Rotary in Great ​Britain and Ireland at a time when there is such strong interest from Rotary ​International and support for our regional pilot – our North Star project. And the ​Rotary world is watching!

North Star has the goal of growing our membership to 60,000 by 2028, including ​with some innovative ideas.

There is particular interest from Rotary International in our two brand new types ​of membership that do not exist anywhere else in the Rotary world: that’s Direct ​Membership which is a method of joining Rotary GB&I as an individual rather ​going through a specific club and Enterprise Membership where staff of ​companies or organisations from around 100 to 1,000 employees become Rotary ​members.

We already have our first Enterprise member, where a portion of their 500 staff ​are now part of Rotary.

We are being viewed by Rotary International as a role model trialling these new ​types of membership that could be rolled out across the rest of the Rotary world. ​And there is real enthusiasm about these membership types. When I am ​attending RI Board meetings and in conversations with RI’s leadership, other RI ​Directors and RI staff, I am constantly asked about our North Star pilot and these ​two membership types, in particular.

As part of North Star, we are focusing on four membership channels into Rotary: ​our existing Clubs which are our bedrock and creating new-style clubs (like ​cause-based, passport, impact clubs, etc.), growing Corporate Membership ​(where local organisations can join a club with one primary corporate member ​and up to three alternate members), Direct and Enterprise Membership.

Rotary International has showed faith in us here in Great Britain and Ireland by ​allocating us a total of $800,000 in principle from RI Reserves over three years for ​North Star. This is an unique opportunity to help grow our membership.

We must turn the curve on our declining membership in Great Britain and ​Ireland which is absolutely vital for our future and the North Star project is a way ​to do this.

So exciting times ahead with our North Star Project with the goal to increase ​membership and improve the member experience for all. And we need to focus ​on that because we need to make sure that we have a healthy future because ​what Rotary achieves is incredible – and Rotary is needed now if not more than ​ever!

We shall be celebrating the first anniversary of the start of our North Star pilot ​project at the Rotary Action Summit in Newcastle in November 2024 and I ​would like to invite you to join us for this main flagship event for Rotary in Great ​Britain and Ireland.

Taking place from November 8th to 10th at the Crowne Plaza Stephenson ​Quarter Hotel, right in the centre of Newcastle, our theme will be ‘North Star – ​One Year In’.

We have a great line up of outstanding speakers. I am delighted to announce ​that Rotary International’s General Secretary and CEO John Hewko has accepted ​my invitation to be there along with RI President-Elect Mario Cesar Martins de ​Camargo, Chair-Elect of the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation and past RI ​President Holger Knaack as well as Professor Fiona Macaulay, Director of the ​Rotary Peace Centre at Bradford University, one of 7 Rotary Peace Centres ​worldwide which have trained more than 1,700 peace fellows from around the ​globe.

There is also a great line up of entertainment too!

Not only is this an incredible opportunity to hear from and network with Rotary’s ​senior leaders, the Action Summit is also a platform for you to share with them ​the amazing work you’re doing in your club and community.

We want to put our clubs at the heart of this event, after all, no one does ‘action’ ​quite like the 1.4 million People of Action that make up our organisation.

This event is for everyone and not to be missed showing “The Magic of Rotary”. ​So please join us and book your place today.