New president & women members for Rotary

THE new president of the Rotary Club of Westbury is Tim Westlake. He accepted the chain of office from retiring president, Susan Hill-Bird, at the club’s meeting on 3rd July.

Addressing members for the last time as president, Susan said she had “learned so much about the club and about Rotary. It has not been as I expected it to be, but it has been an extraordinary experience”. She said she was grateful to everyone for giving her the opportunity.

As her last presidential duty, she announced her award of Rotarian of the Year to David Pike for his unflinching help and support to her during some difficult times. She wished Tim every success in the coming year and presented him with her gift to the club.

Tim, a solicitor who lives in Buckland Dinham, takes on the post of president for a second time. He thanked Susan for her period of presidency, mentioning particularly her fortitude in facing up to a worrying period of illness. He said he was in awe of what she had managed to achieve, given some difficult times. He presented her with her past president’s medal.

Tim said it was an honour to have been elected for a second time. He intends to change one or two things about the way the club operated, not because there was anything wrong with the current way, but simply because sometimes change could produce benefit. But it was for the club as a whole to decide.

He encouraged individual members to think about projects to support or benefit the local community, hopefully to rank alongside the decoration of the Air Ambulance shop and the White Horse restoration.

At the previous week’s meeting, attended by Assistant District Governor Mac Place, Tim stood in for Susan and officiated at what he described as a unique occasion for the club, the induction of three new women Rotarians. He welcomed Susan Ezra, Barbara Mantle and Esme Saunders and presented them with their Rotarian badges.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Westbury Club or Rotary in general, contact Yvonne Hitchinson. Tel. 01373 859207 or email: Yvonne @hitchinson.eu

Pictured: Tim Westlake (right) with Mac Place, Barbara Mantle, Esme Saunders, and Susan Ezra.