Rotary Club of Reading Abbey

06/06/2026

Abbey Goes to The Abbey

Last Thursday, the club took a tour led by Terry Dixon (2023 Pride of Reading Cultural Heritage Winner) 🏆 entitled Tudor to Civil War Reading - Kings, Queens, Commoners: Life in 16th-17th Century, with Terry and his co-lead Jen in costume!

We looked at Reading from 1485 to 1660, covering the reigns of five Tudor monarchs: Henry VII & VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, & Elizabeth I, through to the beginning of the Stuart Dynasty (James I & Charles I) and the Civil War brought to Reading by Oliver Cromwell — a time of significant change in religion, politics and culture. ⚔️

From almshouses to royal palaces, rich merchants’ townhouses to the Oracle workhouse, we explored Tudor life at all levels of society. We saw key sites where history unfolded, looked at Tudor buildings, and unearthed everyday histories of people during this period.

We ended the tour at the excellent Rising Sun on Castle Street and had an excellent supper! 🥂

The club has made a £500 donation to charities selected by Terry. 💙💛

If you would like to get involved with Rotary Club of Reading Abbey, get in touch with Fred: [email protected].

19/05/2026

Rotary Club of Reading Abbey heard about how member Fred McCrindle has developed a system to help dementia sufferers in some Reading Care Homes. 🏠

Fred said, “The reaction of residents to this system has been heartwarming. Something as simple as remembering holidays by the seaside 🌊, or music from their youth, brings back such happy memories.”

President Peter remarked, “This is just one of the ways Reading Abbey Rotary can use funds raised by the good people of Reading to bring some joy to the Town’s Senior Citizens.” 💙💜

If you are involved with a charity you think could benefit from some help from Rotary, get in touch with [email protected].

10/05/2026

Last Thursday’s meeting, we were privileged to welcome two remarkable Rotary Foundation Scholars as our guest speakers.

🇯🇵 Mao from Tokyo, Japan is studying for her Masters in Peace Studies at St Antony’s College, Oxford. Mao has lived in France and as a fluent French Speaker, has worked with an NGO as an interpreter when Japan received a significant number of refugees from the French Speaking Democratic Republic of Congo. She hopes to make a career in Peace and Reconciliation particularly in those parts of Asia which have been involved in conflict.

🇵🇰 Rukhsana from northern Pakistan has a special Rotary Foundation Grant for a Masters Degree course specifically for Environmental Studies at the University of Reading. She plans to return to Pakistan to assist the growing agriculture industry in rural Pakistan, which will improve the incomes and well being of the local populations.

Both talks were amazing and genuinely inspiring! ✨

The Rotary Foundation has made significant financial Grants to these Scholars to make their studies possible and the local Rotary Clubs of Reading Abbey and Loddon Vale provide support for the scholars during their time in the UK. 💛💙

Your community needs you and we’d love to have you! Find out how you can get involved. Email Fred at [email protected].

05/05/2026

Been running for over 20 years, name - The Rotary Club of Reading Abbey Am Am Charity Golf Day. ⛳

Venue: Calcot Park Golf Course Reading
Date: 28th July 2026.

Major recipient of funds raised will be the Thames Valley Air Ambulance. 🚁

Further details. If you would like to enter a team, email Golf Organiser Fred McCrindle at [email protected]. 📧

03/05/2026

LaunchReading is a scheme offering free advice and mentoring to new entrepreneurs in Reading. 🚀

Angelo Patrizi came to a Rotary meeting last week to tell us about his new property renovation business and how Rotary was able to offer advice and guidance about how to get it started.

If you have a new business idea and think you could benefit from advice about where to begin, get in touch https://launchreading.org/.💡

If you think you could help out with people like Angelo or get involved in your local community, get in touch with [email protected].

20/04/2026

Small actions. Big impact. 🌟

Your support of our fundraising events has allowed us to help these charities — Yeldall Manor, The Compassionate Friends, UK, Sport in Mind, BWA, Lions Clubs International, Chemogiftbags. Six organisations doing extraordinary work and your support of Rotary Club of Reading Abbey helps make it possible. 💙

📩 Would you like to get involved with our Rotary Club to help similar worthy causes? Contact Rotarian Fred: [email protected].

12/04/2026

Three excited dogs took their eight Reading Abbey guardians through Sulham Woods on Sunday for a gentle 3.5 mile walk. 🐕🌳

The going was dry underfoot and there were plenty of delicious smells to keep us all entertained and happy. The humans, meanwhile, were more interested in WW2 pill boxes, old lime kilns, and Sir Henry Wilder’s undying love for a local lass. (That’s why he built Wilder’s Folly — and they went on to have 11 kids apparently!) 👶

PS: If you’d like to help Rotary give back to the community and fancy the occasional fun outing like a countryside walk, get in touch with Fred at [email protected]. 💙

07/04/2026

02/04/2026

“We love this project! It doesn’t cost much and doesn’t take much time, but the benefits it gives children are immeasurable.”

In this month's Rotary Magazine, Beverley Ricketts talks about Rotary Alumni 1210's successful Rotary Books4Home project, which she founded over a decade ago 📚🙌

Taking inspiration directly from the project, Rotary GB&I are excited to announce the launch of the RotaryBooks4Home Impact Days!

Catch up on the recording of the launch webinar and find out more about Rotary Books4Home:
https://magazine.rotarygbi.org/rotary-books4home-march-2026