Rotarian Michael Coker shares memories of the Leamington club he has been member of for 50 years

Awarded the MBE in the New Years Honours List in January 2018 for his sterling work as the Warwickshire Coroner for 17 years and for his wide-ranging contribution to the area as a solicitor, Warwick District Councillor, district council chairman and three-times mayor of Kenilworth, Cllr Coker recently regaled a Zoom meeting of the club members with his recollections of his 50 years in Rotary.

At a time when many businessmen longed to join Rotary, at the age of 35 he became the youngest member, even while still a member of Kenilworth Round Table.

The amount of community work these organisations did was truly amazing he said, at a time when there was far less community support than now.

One of the earliest and happiest tasks he recalled was the Christmas Shopping evenings they did for disabled people at M&S, Woolworth's, Smith's and Boots in the 1980's.

Outside of the town centre the club planted many trees: 75 in Newbold Comyn to mark Rotary International's 75th Anniversary, 100 along the Riverside Walk from Princes Drive towards Warwick in 2005 to celebrate its Centenary, and in places such as Christchurch Gardens and Guys Cliff playground.

The club has supported and founded a wide range of organisations and charities, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Marriage Guidance Council in Leamington, the Life Education caravan which visits primary schools to provide advice on social problems such as drug-taking, and the annual Blackpool Summer Holidays scheme for the elderly set up in the 90's, currently suspended.

In 1988 Rotary International set up the Polio Plus campaign to eliminate worldwide poliomyelitis which the club continues to support as there are still three countries where it is yet to be eliminated.

Cllr Coker recalled the importance of the club's sponsorship of many Eye Camps in India in partnership with Indian Rotary clubs, to enable many thousands of people there to have their cataracts removed to restore their lost eyesight.

More recently the club ran water conservation projects in India and Sierra Leone, the provision of almost 50 Aquaboxes per year which were sent to disaster areas to purify drinking water and which the club filled with essential tools and supplies, and the funding of emergency Shelterboxes containing a tent, cooking facilities and water purification to sustain a family for three months.

Cllr Coker is particularly proud of two Christmas projects, the Trees of Light and Santa in the Royal Priors mall.

He helped to set up the Trees of Light in Leamington and Whitnash in 2001, and since then the Club has raised over £75,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support earlier and currently for The Myton Hospices.

"Where else can you be Santa and meet all those beaming children?", asked Cllr Coker.

"Over 20 years ago our Santa started out sitting in a sleigh in the Parade outside Boots, and we will continue even if we find ourselves out on the street again amid the Christmas Street Market."

The exhibition of classic Cars At The Spa was a successful initiative launched by the club in 2019, suspended for 2020 but re-scheduled for June 2021 in the Pump Room Gardens.

Other activities that the pandemic has seen cancelled or postponed include the Taste of Leamington restaurant event, the charity evening dinner and trips for the elderly to National Trust properties.

"I am immensely proud of all the good the Club has been able to provide over the past 50 years and I know we shall continue to find ways to help the community in the future,” Cllr Coker said.

Unable to get out and about to raise funds for our charities and good causes, the club would welcome donations to support our charitable activities.

Cash or cheques, payable to Rotary Club of RLS Charity Account, to Ian Squire, 17 Cubbington Rd., Leamington Spa, CV32 7AA (Tel 01926 424917).