The Rotary Club of Anstruther was delighted to welcome Mrs Margaret O’Neill, President of Anstruther Inner Wheel club, to their meeting of 22nd May. She is pictured here with Rotary club president Derek Mathie.

Margaret spoke knowledgeably about the origins of Inner Wheel; it starting as a club for wives of Rotarians. The first club was formed in Manchester in 1923 and adopted the same slogan as Rotary; ‘Service above Self’ - Anstruther came into being in 1968. Today’s Inner Wheel has developed tremendously from those early days, into the largest worldwide charitable organisation for women – and into an effective and independent organisation, but which still has fellowship firmly at its heart.

Going on to talk about the work of the local club, Margaret mentioned that each year a special charity is chosen by the club president and that her choice is ‘Mary’s Meals’ – a global movement that sets up school feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities, where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education. (www.marysmeals.org.uk)

She also mentioned their support for ‘Shelterbox’, having just purchased another box at a cost of £590. These boxes are self-contained and designed to be easily transportable and to have everything a family needs to survive, for example following a natural disaster. (www.shelterbox.org)

Margaret went on to recognise and thank members of Inner Wheel, especially those who have been willing to take on the leadership tasks needed to keep the club running effectively and able to make a worthwhile contribution to charitable causes. She concluded with words of thanks also for the support from Rotary.

Margaret was thanked by Rotary club president Derek Mathie.