Rotary club of Romsey Test

18/06/2026

02/06/2026

This year was well as the usual attractions, of the steam train, Puch and Judy and the Scouts activities, we have a bouncy castle.

There will also be a children’s Fancy Dress Parade. This is free to join in with parade taking place at 12.50pm meeting at the band stand

20/05/2026

The Rotary Club of Romsey Test recently awarded a £500 grant to the local Riding for the Disabled (RDA), which provides valuable horse-riding experiences for children with learning and physical disabilities from The Cedar School and Springwell School.

The dedicated team of volunteers work tirelessly to help each child feel comfortable and confident on a horse, creating an enjoyable and rewarding experience that also helps improve balance, coordination, communication and self-esteem. The sessions provide not only therapeutic benefits, but also a sense of achievement and enjoyment for the children taking part.

18/05/2026

Today we were pleased to present ROMDAG with a cheque for £1,000. They are using this to purchase a gazebo, tea urn and PA system.

01/05/2026

Once again proof that being a Rotarian is not all work and no play. Mind you we have raised and given out a significant amount of money. Details will be posted at the end of our Rotary year, so watch this space..

40 Members and partners attended an evening of beer tasting and fun, at ‘Flacks’, Romsey’s very own brewery. This was another successful evening in our programme of socials and events.
Vicki , Head Brewer at Flacks, started off proceedings with a warm welcome and ran through the brewing process and their range of beers. A group headed of in the direction of the brewing room to get a closer look at the processes involved. I’m sure I spotted them back at the bar shortly afterwards.
Everyone was hungry, so a good job Tate Catering were on hand with their paella pans full of delicious rice with chicken and chorizo. Second helpings were announced, yes please!!
WE thought we needed to sustain our brains as well a s our appetities so a 4 round quiz was arranged after the meal. It must be said this writer was not on the winning team. The prize, bottles of beer of course for all on the team.
Another excellent evening to relax with friends and colleagues in Rotary.

29/04/2026

The Rotary club of Romsey Test’s latest social meeting, on Wednesday 22nd April consisted of a presentation by the Wi******er Cocoa Company. The company consists of Chris Attewell and 2 part-time employees; it started 10 years ago in his home kitchen. Prior to that he ran an internet company with his brother. Chris stated that he had always liked chocolate and the technical and scientific aspects of the chocolate trade appealed to his “nerdy side”. It started as a hobby - and then he did some courses at a “Chocolate School” in Colden Common with a British Chocolate Master - and his business was born! For 8 years he worked from home - during Covid- with one part time helper. He entered some competitions and won awards thus amassing a good reputation culminating in an introduction to the head chef at Coutts Bank - whom he now provides with chocolates. He stated that this was his lucky break. In addition he also makes chocolate for the Goring hotel (a group of 5 exclusive hotels in the UK) as well as Hawksmoor steak and seafood restaurants. He has a very busy corporate life and doesn’t sell chocolate commercially. The chocolate is high quality, has more flavour than mass produced varieties and does not contain any preservatives. They have a shelf life of two weeks. Chris buys his chocolate from a manufacturer and then makes his “chocolates” from that. Chris went on to identify that there are three different main types of chocolates; ganache, pralines and caramels. The Cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast. Best chocolate grows between 10 and 15 degrees of the equator. Grows on a tree. Takes about 5 years for a tree to become productive. Delicate plant - has become cultivated to make the pods bigger and more resistant to disease. There are laws around what can be called a chocolate bar. Key characteristics of chocolate: • flavour • Melt in the mouth texture • Structure. Milk chocolate is dark chocolate with sugar and dried milk powder. Rotarians were given a “standard caramel” as a sampler. Butter cream. Brown sugar. Cocoa. Delicious!! We were then given other samples of chocolate and were also served a glass of Cremant to accompany it. A most enjoyable evening was had by all.

18/04/2026

Being a Rotarian is not all work and no play. This week a group of us had a conducted tour around the King Alfred bus depot. These are vintage buses that ran around the Wi******er area until 1973. They were an independent bus company that ran for over 50 years.
We initially had a short ride in a 1957 double decker Leyland Lion. Later we had a ride around Romsey in a 1929 Leyland Lion. Apologies to any motorists who were caught behind us.
We followed this with lunch at The Cromwell Arms.
You can take a free ride on some of the buses on Monday 4th May in Wi******er. See https://www.kingalfredbuses.org.uk/

01/04/2026

Just a quick reminder that the Romsey Volunteer Fair is happening this Saturday, 4th April, at Romsey Town Hall — and Rotary in Romsey will be there.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering but weren’t sure where to start, this is the perfect chance to explore what’s out there. Whether you can spare an hour now and then or want to get more involved, we’d love to chat about the many ways you can support local events like the Mayor’s Picnic & Duck Race, Walk The Test Way, and Christmas Carols in the Market Place.

Come say hello, meet the team, and discover how easy — and rewarding — it is to volunteer with Rotary in Romsey. See you on Saturday!