RALPH Whitwell handed over the presidency of the club to David Hodgson, retired ships’ pilot on the Mersey. He will now steer the club through the choppy waters of the coming year.

The club, which has just celebrated its 60th anniversary, is concerned about the fall in membership, in particular the loss of its only woman member, and David says membership will be the club’s greatest challenge in the coming year.

He has joined forces with Jane Sneary, the new president of Leominster Inner Wheel, and will hold a ‘Meet the Presidents’ lunch this month to which members of Leominster Women in Business and other guests have been invited. Funds raised will go to Marie Curie Cancer Care and a project in Embau, Brazil, for disadvantaged girls.

David’s other plans include stewarding at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross event to be held at The Wharf, Leominster, in September, setting up a Tree of Lights at the Priory over Christmas and taking over a shop in Leominster for the Christmas period to sell bric-a-brac and provisions to raise money for Rotary charities. This will be in addition to the Christmas street collection and the collection at Morrisons.

Plans also include, following the success of this year, a golf tournament in June 2010.

It is not all charity fund-raising – the club will enjoy a visit to its twinned Rotary Club in La Fleche, France, and a weekend break in Liverpool, David’s old stamping ground, where they will enjoy the sights of the former European City of Culture and, no doubt, a ferry across the Mersey.

For further information about Leominster Rotary Club, contact Geoff Tutt on 01568 708751.