About Round Table

Round Table is all about having fun with a group of friends while at the same time trying to help the local community.

History

Louis Marchesi was a member of Rotary in Norwich but had the idea of starting a new organisation for young men between the ages of 18-40 (now 45).

Round Table adopted the motto Adopt, Adapt, Improve from a speech made by the Prince of Wales at the Festival of Britain. He also suggested that businessmen should get together around the table, and from this phrase was born the idea to adopt the image of King Arthur's Round Table as the organisation's logo.

From the small beginnings of one club in Norwich, Marchesi's dream became a reality, with over 1,000 clubs and more than 10,000 members. It is open to young men from all walks of life, not just those who would regard themselves as businessmen.

Round Table now exists throughout the world and has links with other like-minded clubs internationally. Moscow Round Table No.1 and Istanbul Round Table were chartered in the autumn of 2002.

Round Tables in the UK and Eire operate individually but with a common cause, and together they form The National Association of Round Tables of Great Britain and Ireland, otherwise known as RTBI.

Aims & Objects

The Aims and Objects of RTBI are:

  1. To develop the acquaintance of young men through the medium of their various occupations.
  2. To emphasise that one's calling offers and excellent medium of service to the community.
  3. To cultivate the highest ideals in business, professional and civic traditions.
  4. To recognise the worthiness of all legitimate occupations, and to dignify, each his own, by precept and example.
  5. To further the establishment of peace and goodwill in international relationships.
  6. To further these objects by meetings, lectures, discussion and other activities.

Wotton under Edge & District RT974

Wotton Round Table was formed in 1969 - the 974th Round Table to be formed in RTBI, hence our number. Several of the founder members were previously members of Dursley Round Table 638.

Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, with an additional meeting if there is a fifth Tuesday. These "extra" meetings are usually dinner meetings at a local pub or restaurant.

What do we do?

Round Table is often termed a fellowship organisation. As such, it provides a forum in which to meet and mix with people from different vocations in your local area and beyond. We do this in a number of ways.

We arrange varied speaker meetings and visits to local businesses. We hold informal sports and quiz challenges with members from Round Tables in our local area, or nationally, and even internationally. Often we'll arrange extra events such as family outings or activities with Ladies Circle, Rotary, etc. And we participate in community projects and organise fundraising events. Marchesi Walk in Wotton was originally constructed by Round Table members.

We hold four formal business meetings a year to discuss Round Table business, such as coming events, where to award funds from our Charity account, etc. Our Charity "No.2" account is administered completely independently from own Round Table "No.1" account.

The main public event we organise these days is the annual Firework Display. This is run for the community, and any profit from the event is used entirely for charitable purposes; depending mainly on the weather, this can vary from break-even to several thousand pounds. Other fundraising events we have held include The Pram Race, The Pub Dartathon, Duck Races, etc. For several years Round Table organised the Wotton Hay Day Fete in the summer, part of which was the Cotswold Town Crier's Competition.

Round Table has its share of traditions - mostly just a bit of fun, but often with the motive of getting Round Table clubs to meet up more often. For example, we'll sometimes "steal" regalia from another Table to encourage those clubs to visit us to get it back again, or swap badges and exchange banners.

Past Chairmen of RT974

1969 - 1970 Roger Hale (founder Chairman) No.1
1970 - 1971 John Pullen
1971 - 1972 Peter Linge
1972 - 1973 John Barlow
1973 - 1974 Alan Gunn
1974 - 1975 David Rees
1975 - 1976 Hubert Tarr
1976 - 1977 John Underwood
1977 - 1978 Terry Jarvis
1978 - 1979 Edwin Nutall
1979 - 1980 Roger Sallis
1980 - 1981 Bob Modlen
1981 - 1982 Keith Barker
1982 - 1983 Alan Denney
1983 - 1984 Dave Wallace
1984 - 1985 Keith Woodward
1985 - 1986 Ian Wasey
1986 - 1987 Craig Richardson
1987 - 1988 Alan Barker
1988 - 1989 John Jukes
1989 - 1990 Martin Kelly
1990 - 1991 Chris Nash
1991 - 1992 Pat Harty
1992 - 1993 Adrian Cutler
1993 - 1994 Mike Shellard
1994 - 1995 Alan Foxwell
1995 - 1996 Dave Jones
1996 - 1997 Derek Long
1997 - 1998 Rob Marrow
1998 - 1999 John Francksen
1999 - 2000 Richard Trickey
2000 - 2001 Richard Boggis
2001 - 2002 Richard Boggis
2002 - 2003 Dave Primrose
2003 - 2004 Mike Davison
2004 - 2005 Ian Milner
2005 - 2006 Vince Howell
2006 - 2007 Martin Allison
2007 - 2008 Rob Marrow

 

 
 
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Meetings

Wotton Round Table meet on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Tuesday of each month.

Most meetings are held at the Star Inn, Market St.

 
EXTERNAL LINKS
 

Wotton RT974 banner
 

The solid silver medal with Round Table logo, awarded at the annual Town Crier's Competition. This was held as part of the Hay Day fete in Wotton until 1990.
 

The Past Tablers Board or "Knocker Board", into which retiring members knock their membership badges before moving on to 41 Club.