Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM

29/10/2026

Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM is delighted to welcome back Alison Brown as a member of our Rotary Club.

As a founding member of Eastbourne AM Rotary in 2001, Alison is delighted to be back among old friends and looks forward to making new ones.

2001 was also the year Alison established the Natural Fitness Centre on Eastbourne’s glorious seafront.

Since passing the centre on to new owners, she has continued to pursue her two passions: teaching Pilates to hundreds of local people and working as a Personal Image Consultant, helping women look and feel their very best.

Having now significantly reduced her work in both areas, Alison feels the time is right to return to the Rotary fold.

She is excited to reconnect with fellow members and looks forward to working alongside them on worthwhile projects that make a positive difference to the local community and beyond.

We are very happy to have Alison back!

26/10/2026

The Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM has donated £10,000 to St Wilfrid's Hospice following the success of its annual Lighthouse Challenge fundraising event.

The Lighthouse Challenge, a popular community fundraising walk around Beachy Head Lighthouse at low tide, raises funds for local good causes each year.

This year, Rotary Eastbourne AM celebrated one of their most successful fundraisers yet, with over 1700 walkers taking part!

Historically, part of the proceeds were ring fenced to go towards repainting the distinct stripes around the Beachy Head lighthouse but, with Trinity House now taking this on, it has allowed Rotary Eastbourne AM to make all of the funds available to local worthy causes.

In 2026, club members selected St Wilfrid's Hospice as a key beneficiary and were delighted to present a donation of £10,000 to support the charity's vital work across East Sussex. The donation reflects the generosity of participants, volunteers and supporters who took part in this year's event.

“It is an absolute honour to be President of our Rotary club, where each and every member plays a part in all that we do”, said James Hookway. “Being able to pass on this amount of money to such a worthwhile organisation is very humbling. Also, it is wonderful to be able to show the participants from this year’s event just what can be achieved from the money they donate, alongside the satisfaction of completing the Challenge! I thank you all”.

Representatives from the Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM met with the team at St Wilfrid's Hospice during an official cheque presentation to mark the donation and celebrate the impact the funding will have for local patients and families. Present were James Hookway, President, Martin Wellings, who organises the annual fundraising event, together with Colin Twomey CEO & Danielle Curtis, Community Nurse Specialist, from St Wilfrid’s.

“We are so grateful for Rotary's continued support” said Colin. “Rotary AM is such a strong local organisation and their work to support people at the end of life through St Wilfrid's Hospice will enable us to help more people to live well at the end of life.“

The Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM has supported local charities and community organisations for many years through fundraising initiatives, volunteering and community projects. The annual Lighthouse Challenge remains one of the club's flagship fundraising events.

**Save the date: The next Lighthouse Challenge will be held on Sunday 4th July 2027.**

17/10/2026

📣 Tune in to CEO's House with East Sussex College at Eastbourne Youth Radio 2026.

✨ This show will also kindly be sponsored by Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM

Thank you so much and we hope you'll all join us from the 18th - 20th November. 😁📻

17/09/2026

25/08/2026

✨ We were delighted to invite local photographer and fundraiser, Rupert Kirby, to become an Honorary Member of Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM

Rupert was formally welcomed and presented with his Certificate at our breakfast meeting at Chalk Farm Hotel - Learning Disabilities Centre, Willingdon.

Rupert has long supported our Club by providing us with photographic services for our various events.

Rupert Kirby is a business adviser and photographer. He works in Hastings for a not-for-profit organisation supporting local businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs, but home is Eastbourne — a town he loves and enjoys celebrating through his photography.

His images of Eastbourne and the South Downs also help raise funds for St Wilfrid's Hospice and other good causes.

Rupert is involved in raising awareness of organ donation through the local NHS Organ Donation Committee and, through his own experience of living with neuroendocrine cancer, also tries to raise awareness of this condition.

Rupert said: “I’ve always felt that if you can use the things you enjoy and the skills you’ve picked up along the way to help others, then that’s a pretty good thing to do. I love Eastbourne, photography, and working with people, and I’m fortunate that all three give me opportunities to put something back into the community.

“I’m genuinely honoured to become an honorary member of Rotary. I’ve seen firsthand how much its members do for the local community, so it means a great deal to me.”

06/08/2026

A huge shoutout to Albert and Lukasz! 💙

We're incredibly grateful to these two inspiring young fundraisers, who have raised an amazing £2,015 for the Wetwheels Foundation by taking on the legendary 192-mile Coast to Coast trek across the UK.

What makes their achievement even more special is the reason behind it.

Last summer, Albert and Lukasz experienced the kindness and professionalism of the Wetwheels Falmouth crew after suffering engine failure in Carrick Roads. Following a tow to safety, they decided they wanted to give something back to the charity that had helped them.

Completely off their own backs, the pair are spending around 10 days trekking across some of the UK's toughest terrain, carrying all their camping gear and averaging around 20 miles a day, all to help more disabled and disadvantaged people experience the freedom and adventure of being out on the water.

Albert and Lukasz, thank you for your determination, generosity and incredible support. Your fundraising will help us continue creating life-changing experiences for so many people across the UK.

Please join us in congratulating these two fantastic young boys in the comments below. 👏💙

04/08/2026

01/08/2026

We are delighted to introduce another new club member, Rob Hobbs. Rob has been in the Care Sector for around six years, five years with a local family care group and more recently with Mortain Place Care Home (Eastbourne), an 80 bed/suite care home, where Rob isthe Home Service Advisor, taking care of community events, logistics around bedroom resident movements, marketing, private tours and enquiries.
Rob has said ‘I enjoy being actively involved in and supporting local community events. Rotary AM is a perfect fit to showcase that enthusiasm, as the members are a great bunch with super humour all rolled into one. Prior to my excursion into care, I spent twenty-five years in the automotive sector, working with global brands as diverse as Toyota, Lexus and Maserati. In my spare time I enjoy walking my Labradors and I am an active member of the East Sussex TVR club relishing roaring about in my classic pride and joy, with my wonderful wife Linzi!’

We know Rob will be a great asset to our club, embracing the fellowship that makes Rotary so special whilst helping us make a difference in communities both at home and abroad.

If you would like to find out more about the Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM do please message us via Facebook or email [email protected].

31/07/2026

18/07/2026

Yet another great example of the Rotary Club of Eastbourne AM supporting local charities. Yesterday we supported Wetwheels Foundation working with Chaseley Trust.
Wetwheels is a charity providing the opportunity for all disabled people, including those with profound and complex disabilities, to access the sea in a safe, stimulating and rewarding way on specially-built, fully-accessible power boats