Baby boom for Oxford Rotarians (From The Oxford Times)

Baby boom for Oxford Rotarians

10:00am Saturday 7th August 2010 in

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A ROTARY Club in Oxford is breathing new life into the age-old institution.

Unusually, six of its members currently have young children, and three of the past presidents have had babies in or around the time of their presidency.

But this is not your ordinary group of Rotarians.

The Rotary Club of Oxford Spires was set up in 2003 with the aim of creating a new club model, the average age of their members being 38.

Former president Tony Moore said this difference made them unique among the clubs in the city.

The father-of-two said: “I think it does make us think differently about the whole balance of work and home life and that kind of thing.”

The group meets twice a week and has more lenient joining rules.

But that is not all that sets them apart. The role of president at the club is gaining a legendary reputation.

The current president Michael Saunders, 40, is expecting his new baby in November.

HIs predecessor, Tony Moore, 38, had his second child, Rebecca, in 2008, while the president before Mr Moore, Liz Williamson, 35, also had a baby while in office.

Mrs Williamson, a GP who lives in Chinnor with her husband Ian and daughters Sophie and Ellen, said the position had become a bit of an in-joke.

She added: “Many of our colleagues in other clubs think it is funny, as most of them are moving on to their grandchildren now.

“There was especially a bit of a joke amongst members when I turned up to a black tie event in a black frock when I was eight-and-a-half-months pregnant.

“Buying that dress was no mean feat.”

But she said having such a young group was a good thing.

She said: “Our club was struggling a little bit when we were all single members, but having children opens up a whole world of new networks and having young children switches your mentality and gives you a different perspective on life.”

The 24 current members have 13 young children between them.

Mr Moore said: “There is certainly lots of baby talk in between meetings and our children attend the events.”

Those events include the recent Truck Festival in Steventon, where the club ran an Indian food stall.

Mrs Williamson added: “Sophie has been to all kinds of events with me during my time as president – she sat through a three-day district conference in Bournemouth.

“Most clubs stereotypically have a substantial proportion of retired members, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”

Rotary is not the only institution modernising for the 21st century.

Earlier this year, the Oxford Mail reported on the year-old Blackbird Leys Women’s Institute, which appointed the youngest WI president in the county, 25-year-old Rachel Fisher.

rpope@oxfordmail.co.uk