A group of 10 residents met up with Mark at the Wine and Wallop in King Street to discuss the idea for the new group.

Mark is president of the Rotary Club of Knutsford, which has 33 members, whose average is late 70s, with two members being aged 91.
Mark said: “The challenge set for those who came along to the Wine and Wallop was to see whether forming a new group could extend the activities of Rotary in Knutsford, particularly given that most young families, including those who attended that night, have so little free time - the answer was yes, but how?

“I believe there is a young population in the town who would like to help with local and international causes, but are looking for a ‘Lite’ approach, with no meetings, no formal dinners, no process, but simply people who get together when required to address the need to help others in need.”

A core team at the meeting volunteered to work up ideas with Mark on how the idea of a ‘Rotary Lite’ could become a reality.

Mark added: “I was delighted with the number of people who came along to the Wine and Wallop – we got lots of ideas, and five people offered to help to take the idea to the next stage of putting together a draft plan.”

Andrew Malloy, deputy town mayor, who attended the meeting said: “I was keen to join this meeting, as Knutsford is lucky to have lots of volunteering opportunities however volunteers do seem to be of an older generation, so the possibility of a new group born out of an old group but with a younger demographic, with new and different ideas and modern ways of working, sounded like a great opportunity.”

Over the past few years the Rotary Club of Knutsford has raised more than £85,000 for local and international causes.

The 2019 Knutsford Rotary Jog will be in aid of the Remembering Nell Foundation.The organisation was set up by the family of Goostrey teenager Nell Jones, who was killed in the 2017 terrorist bomb attack at the Manchester Arena.

Anyone interested in the Rotary Lite scheme can contact Mark on mark.ms.jones@hotmail.co.uk