1986 Distillery Manager Alistair Munro and the then Manager of the Royal Marine Brora Alistair Risk who were Rotarians in Tranent and in Dundee before moving to this county discussed how a club could be formed—but Alistair Risk left for North Berwick before any progress could be made.

 

1987 Alistair Munro enlisted the help of Geoff Smyth from the Customs Dept. and proposed forming an East Sutherland Club and the work really began

Geoff who knew everyone provided a comprehensive list of potential members and they visited all of them to sell Rotary and Service Above Self before enlisting the help of the District extension officer and the President of the Dingwall club. 

 15^th February 1989 The Inaugural meeting and dinner was held at the Sutherland Arms Hotel Golspie attended by 20 Founder members and Rotarians from across Scotland

12^th May Presentation of the Clubs Charter to founder President Alistair Munro by District Governor Robert Clarkson of Dundee at a formal dinner for around 80 Dinner suited men at the Burghfield Hotel Dornoch.

 

1991 The “Sunflower Challenge” raised enough money (£6000) for the club President Hugh Johnston to be able to present an ambulance to the John Pearce Memorial Eye Hospital in Cuttack, India

 

1992 District 1010 International Service Award – Club President Mike Small was presented with the Connestoga Wagon at the District Conference.  The club ran and hosted an excellent Theatre Night with Scotland The What in Golspie High School as part of the fundraising effort and ran a series of successful golf competitions at Royal Dornoch and Brora

1999 the 10^th Anniversary Dinner with President Colin Ritchie in the chair was held in the Links  Hotel Brora to celebrate 10 years of Service to the community and beyond with support having been given to dozens of good causes both local and International

 

 

2000 to 2009 The Rotary Club of East Sutherland continues to prosper even taking in lady members while providing physical and financial support to many good causes in Sutherland in Scotland and abroad raising funds through-race nights, BBQs, Sales of work, Stalls at community events such as Highland Games, Harbour Days, County Shows and much more.  We even strung Women's Bras all the way from Gospie to Brora (a total of over 20,000 raised over £12,000).

2003 Our First Lady President-Christine Henderson (the first of many!!)

2007 After 18 year our club decided leave its traditional home –the Sutherland Arms Hotel in Golspie and looked for a new base. This year was marked impressively when the club helped raise £12,000 for cancer care at Raigmore Hospital by supporters hanging a 6 mile washing line of ladies bras from Brora to Golspie.  Even Prince Charles made a donation!  With the brazen display of around 15,000 of these typically more intimate garments.  Never before have so many Highland Lassies given up their support for such a good cause!!

 

2008 In early January 2008 the Rotary Club of East Sutherland moved to the very welcoming Sutherland Inn in Brora where we continue to meet every Wednesday evening at 6 pm except the last Wednesday in the month.

The club membership rose to 25 plus 3 Honorary members and we initiated the Monthly Away Meetings raising our profile across the county and visiting Tain, Dornoch, Rogart, Lairg, Helmsdale even Inverness be it for social events like Theatre evenings or vocational events with the Forest Ranger, Historians and Artists; Chefs & Restaurant owners, Golf Clubs or watching Falconry displays

All have been popular and we include friends and family too.

So Fellowship is the key and team spirit the result.

And the East Sutherland monthly Newsletter began production under editor in chief Leslie Pontious-Pope

In an extra-ordinary year 4 members got married (2 weddings with both coupling 2 East Sutherland members) and both declined wedding gifts in return for donations to Polio Plus and other charities raising over £3000!!

The club was awarded a RI Presidential Citation for Achievement in all avenues of service.

 

2009/10 The Club celebrates its 21^st Birthday on 6^th March 2010 with a VIP special dinner Hosted by President Alistair Risk (back with us) when we hope to welcome many past members and friends including District Governors and at which we will make significant donations to Charity and Honour those who started this fine club.

 

Now 2010!!

Happy Birthday East Sutherland!

East Sutherland Rotary 21 years old!!

This wonderfully rich fruit cake has been lovingly baked by Club President Alistair Risk's Mum, Ruth, in Dumfries (not bad for a lady of almost 90) and then iced and decorated by master confectioner Chris Terry from Brora.
 

 

ROTARY'S NIGHT TO REMEMBER

A 21st Birthday is always something special in any lifetime and last saturday the Rotary Club of East Sutherland celebrated its own coming of age when 100 members and guests gathered for a superb dinner in Brora Golf Club.
The event was designed to honour the Club's Founder Members and to celebrate the Club's achievements over 21 fun filled and rewarding years.
The evening was packed with highlights:-
The Presentation of Paul Harris Fellowships to 4 of the original members who are still members of the Club after all these years and who gave so much to Service Above Self---Eric Potter; Hugh Johnston; Beau Beaton & Geoff Smyth received their recognition and were presented with their medals by 1010 District Governor Bill MacFarlane-Smith.
The inspirational speeches delivered by Rotary International Director Gordon McInally and others.
The charming reminisencies of Geoff Smyth when describing the Club's early years and the Girl Power presentation of past President Pat May.
The remarkable auctioneering of Malcolm McColl as he raised £1,140 from generously donated items---Rare Managers Special Reserve Clynelish, Luxury Weekends in Crieff Hydro, Paintings, and a fabulous stay in a Ness Castle Lodge with fishing and your own personal chef for you and your 12 guests--even the birthday cake was sold!!!
And of course there was the finale of the Big Holiday Draw when remarkably 3 out of 6 of the winners of the holidays were at the dinner--that is 3 out of 7000 ticket holders--remarkable odds--but 3 very happy winners.
There were 50 additional prizes which will be distributed over the next few days and to see if you are one of the winners check the web page below.

The Club as a result of the success of the fundraising effort were able to present cheques to 3 major charities on the night:-
£2000 to the Fight Against Polio,
£2000 to Wateraid in Nepal,
& £2000 to Rotary Foundation who do so much to help in disaster areas and to help World Peace.
All this on top of £3000 which has already gone to Haiti via the Shelterbox scheme and £4000 to local and Scottish charities during this Rotary Year.
In closing the event President Alistair Risk expressed the clubs real thanks to all the Sponsors and all the generous people of Sutherland and beyond who helped make it all posible and pledged the Club's continued support of good causes for the next 21 years.