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Membership
The Club If the thought of Round Table membership sounds even vaguely interesting, there's a very good chance that you'd find it much better than you expected. Why not give us a call? You can attend some meetings at absolutely no obligation, and see what it's all about. What do we do?Take a look at the programme on the diary page to see the sort of events we have coming up, and the sort of think we've done in the past. Have a look at our photo album to see what we've been up to. And have a look round this website. Is it expensive?Membership dues vary from Table to Table, with a fixed amount going to the National organisation to pay for public liability insurance, etc. In Wotton, we have a policy of keeping the cost a low as is reasonably possible. In addition to the membership subscription, we have four optional dinner meetings each year; these usually cost around £10 each. We usually have an annual dinner dance for members and partners. Altogether, it's cheaper than a couple of pints of beer a week. Some of our meetings may incur a small additional cost for food, to pay expenses for a speaker, or an entrance fee somewhere - usually around a fiver. I don't have the time!Most of our existing members felt the same way when they first considered Round Table membership. What they found out was that the few hours a month they spent on Round Table was enormously rewarding, and a refreshing and invigorating change from the daily grind! We're all busy people, and so we don't take on events that would occupy a lot of time. We have two meetings each month, and occasionally give up a couple of hours on the odd evening or weekend to help run a barbecue or something like that. Often it is possible to bring the kids along if you have them, and "kill two birds with one stone". What's the procedure?Getting to become a member of Round Table sometimes seems a slow process! Typically, a potential member would attend a few meetings, just to see what it's all about; if you don't already know somebody in the organisation, one of the existing members will be assigned to keep you informed about forthcoming meetings, etc. If you like it, you will be invited to become a prospective member. You can then attend business meetings as well, and are expected to follow the rules of the organisation, such as giving apologies for meetings you cannot attend, etc. Finally, you'll be invited to become a full member - with which comes voting rights, and (unfortunately) the obligation to pay subscriptions! "Why I Joined Round Table"By past chairman Mike Davison. My wife and I moved to Wotton in 1992 as a result of a job move. By 1996, we had a young family and I realised that although my wife was making friends through "baby" circles, I personally knew very few people in the town, and didn't really feel a part of the local community. That was when our childminder's husband suggested I came along to some Round Table meetings as his guest for a few weeks. At the time my only knowledge of Round Table was that they organised the annual fireworks display, which looked like a lot of fun! So I went along, and soon had a very diverse list of events in my diary; guest speakers, brewery trips, clay-pigeon shooting, quizzes, wacky sports events, and so on. One of my first meetings was paintball - getting peppered by the Rugby Club. A few weeks later we were playing "it's a knock-out" games in a field dressed up as Flintstones, when Wotton hosted the Round Table Area Summer Rally. This, like a number of social events, was aimed at the whole family. I liked the idea of helping out with community projects which brought us into contact with many other people in and around the town. Before long I was a committed "Tabler", and nowadays I can't go into Wotton without bumping into about a dozen people I know to talk to. I also get to feel that I'm contributing in some way, whether it's helping to raise funds for a charity project, or helping out now and again by giving up a couple of hours painting a school room, running a barbecue, setting out tables for a street party, or whatever. Of course, work for many people these days demands increasing amounts of time. Initially, I thought I just wouldn't have time for Round Table activities, but I also realised that I didn't want to look back in years to come and feel that I'd missed out somewhere. So I managed to make some time available; like most people it varies depending on work and family commitments, but as a flexible and supportive organisation this is fine. I haven't looked back since joining Round Table, and some of the activities, have been immensely rewarding. I have made many friends not just in Wotton, but also in other countries. If I do have one regret, it's that I didn't get to find out about Round Table sooner. Have a look at our website and if the sort of things we do sound at all appealing, why not get in touch? You'll be welcome to come along to a few meetings as a guest, with no commitment. Whether you are new to the area or Wotton born-and-bred, you may find it's just what you've been missing! Chairman - 2003-2004 Want to know more?Give one of us a call or an e-mail; the contact details are on the contacts page.
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