The Rotary Club of Lewes

11/08/2026

We’re delighted to welcome Hughie Casey and Sue Harris as the newest members of the Rotary Club of Lewes!

Hughie and Sue were officially welcomed at our meeting last Thursday (6 August), pictured here with our Club President, Patrick Newman.

It’s always fantastic to welcome new members to Rotary and we look forward to working with Hughie and Sue as we make a difference in our local community, support good causes and, of course, enjoy plenty of friendship and fun along the way! 💙

The Rotary Club of Lewes meets fortnightly on Thursdays at The John Harvey Tavern, arriving from 12.30pm for a 1pm start, and finishing around 2.15pm.

🌐 Find out more: https://www.rotarylewes.co.uk/
Rotary South D1145 Sussex Express The Argus

10/08/2026

🎉 Game on! Thanks to Rotary, Kin-Ball is rolling into Priory School! 🏐

We're delighted to see one of our recent community grants already making a real difference!

Thanks to funding from the Rotary Club of Lewes, Priory School has been able to purchase brand-new Kin-Ball equipment, giving students the chance to enjoy this exciting, inclusive sport.

The first sessions, held at the University of Brighton's Falmer Campus, were a huge success. Year 7 students embraced the challenge with enthusiasm, teamwork and plenty of smiles, proving that PE is about much more than competition – it's about participation, communication and having fun together.

Kin-Ball is now becoming part of Priory's Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 PE curriculum, helping to broaden the range of activities on offer and ensuring more students can get involved and enjoy being active.

"It's fantastic to see Rotary funding being put to such good use, and we know this equipment will benefit hundreds of young people for many years to come."
Curriculum Leader, PE, Priory School.

A huge thank you to Priory School for sharing this update – we love hearing about the positive impact of our community support! 💙💛
Rotary South D1145 Sussex Express The Argus

05/08/2026

⛳️ Another Fantastic Rotary Club of Lewes Charity Golf Day! ☀️🏌️‍♂️

The sun shone, the fairways rolled fast, and despite the soaring temperatures, 88 determined golfers took on the challenge at Lewes Golf Club on Monday – all in support of some incredible local charities.

A huge 22 teams battled it out across what proved to be a very dry course, helping to raise an outstanding £6,724 for the following charities:

• St Peter & St James Hospice
• CCAA – Kids with Arthritis
• East Sussex Deaf Children's Society
• Rotary Club of Lewes Charities

Congratulations to our 2026 champions – Old Guns & Young Guns – a true family affair featuring local estate agent Charlie Wycherley and his son Will, alongside local accountant Kevin Powell and his son Will. Experience clearly mixed well with youth to claim this year's title! 🏆

A huge thank you to Lewes Golf Club 1896 for hosting us on such a superb course, and to Marks Meals Weddings and Events for keeping everyone well fed throughout the day.

Most importantly, thank you to every golfer, sponsor, volunteer and supporter who made the day such a success. Thanks to your generosity, thousands of pounds will now help make a real difference to four deserving charities.

📸 Pictured: The winning team, Old Guns & Young Guns, with Rotary Club of Lewes President Patrick Newman (far right) and Lewes Golf Club Captain James Stewart (far left).

Here's to doing it all again next year! ⛳👏
Rotary South D1145 Sussex Express The Argus

03/08/2026

Over the last couple of weeks, members of the Rotary Club of Lewes have swapped fundraising for a little well-earned fun, enjoying two fantastic social get-togethers.

First, we relaxed with a picnic at the beautiful Ranscombe Farm, sharing great food, great company and plenty of laughter in the sunshine. Then it was on to our very own skittles evening at The Royal Oak in Barcombe, where the competition was fierce, the bowling techniques were… creative, and there were lots of laughs along the way! 🎳😂

Rotary isn’t just about fundraising and serving our community – it’s also about friendship, fellowship and enjoying each other’s company. These moments help keep our club strong, motivated and ready for the next challenge and the next opportunity to make a difference.

If you’ve ever wondered what Rotary is really all about, it’s not just meetings and fundraising. It’s about making lasting friendships while making a positive impact in our local community.

Why not come along and see what we’re all about?


Rotary South D1145
Rotary International

20/07/2026

🌳 Missed the guided walks at the Lewes Tree Festival 2026? There's still time to explore! 🌳

Don't worry if you couldn't make one of the guided walks organised by the Lewes Urban Arboretum, Trees Committee of Friends of Lewes.

🌿 The Rotary Club of Lewes is proud to sponsor this year's Lewes Tree Festival, helping more people discover and appreciate the wonderful trees that make our town so special.

Why not discover Lewes at your own pace with one of the Self-Guided Tree Walks? ☀️

Simply download and print the route (image included with this post), choose a sunny day, and enjoy a leisurely stroll through our beautiful town. Along the way you'll discover some of Lewes' most remarkable trees, uncover fascinating stories, and perhaps even spot a few hidden gems you've walked past countless times.

Whether you're a keen tree enthusiast, love local history, or are just looking for a relaxing way to spend an afternoon, there's a walk waiting for you.

🍃 Grab your route, lace up your walking shoes, and see Lewes from a whole new perspective!

📸 Have you completed one of the walks? We'd love to see your photos – share them in the comments below and tell us which tree was your favourite!

19/07/2026

As always, a pleasure to help and support the Lewes Food Banks Summer Collection yesterday! Thanks to everyone for donating.

14/07/2026

⛳ LAST FEW TEAM SPACES AVAILABLE!⛳

Fancy a great day of golf while supporting great causes. Join us for our Annual Charity Golf Day on Monday 3rd August 2026 at Lewes Golf Club 1896.

🏌️ Over 20 teams have already signed up – and we have just a couple of team spaces left!

£280 per team of four includes:

✅ A full day of golf
✅ Buffet meal
✅ The chance to make a real difference

Every year, funds raised support charities chosen by the Presidents of the Rotary Club of Lewes and Lewes Golf Club.

Plus:
💙 25% goes to St Peter & St James Hospice
💙 25% supports local and international charitable causes through the club's charitable fund

Don't miss out – gather your team and book today!

📧 Email [email protected] for more information or to secure your place.

14/07/2026

A pleasure to make the donation to Ringmer St John Ambulance Cadets.

Steven Haasz, President of Lewes Rotary Club, said “The club has been in Lewes for 102 years, and SJA has been going for 150 years. Both organisations have strong links within the local community. We were really pleased to do something with St John Ambulance, and it’s been great to see young people involved in really positive things.”

Colin Packham MStJ, Network Event Lead with Central Sussex and Ouse Valley Network, said: “I'm honoured to be receiving this on behalf of our Cadet youth group at Ringmer, part of the Central Sussex and Ouse valley Network, this very important heart 2 defib will be used to demonstrate CPR with a training defib to show how effective CPR and AED Deployment are key in how to save a life in the Cadet Group and wider community. Thank you to Lewes Rotary and here's to many more year's associating with each other.”

Ringmer Cadets get hands on with Rotary funded training defibrillator

02/07/2026

July welcomes the new Rotary year and our clubs 103rd year!

Today we held our AGM and were delighted to be joined by Julie Smyth, Assistant District Governor at our lunch at the John Harvey Tavern.

We welcomed our President for the coming year, Mr Patrick Newman, who takes over from Mr Steven Haasz.

Patrick joined Rotary in 1999 making this his 27th year and his second time as Club President.

We thank Steven for all his hard work and dedication throughout the past year and wish Patrick all the very best for the year ahead.

📷 Clare Crouch: Photos show the handover meeting, with Patrick photographed with Steven and Julie.




Rotary South D1145

20/06/2026

That’s a wrap!

Last night was Finals Night and Ladies Night and it didn’t disappoint.

We’ve had the most amazing week, not just because of the weather, but due to the support you’ve shown the event.

Skittles Week is an integral part of Lewes Life and, although a lot of work goes on behind the scenes, we couldn’t do it without the support of you… the teams, the advertisers and our members and volunteers.

Results were as follows:
Overall Winners: Bindire
Runners Up : FOMO Anonymous
Ladies Winners: Skittle Scuttlers
Ladies Runners up: Glitzy Gals
Highest Team Score: The Six Bowlsman of the Apocalypse (284)
Highest Pub Score: King’s Head ‘B’ (269)
Highest Bonfire Society Score: Nevill Juvenile BS (248)
Highest Service Club Score: Lewes Round Table ‘2’ (268)

Big shout out to Waterloo Bonfire Society and Commercial Square Bonfire Society for supplying the food and drinks. We hope you had a great time.

Here’s a few photos from the end of fabulous week.

See you in 2027! 😜