Rev Ray Burman becomes new president of Swaffham Rotary Club

A charitable club in Swaffham has welcomed its new president.

Rev Ray Burman, who has been a Rotarian since 1984, took over from Swaffham Rotary Club’s previous president, Malcolm Whitley during a ceremony at Swaffham Golf Club on Monday.

The new president told the Lynn News that the club is planning lots of new ideas, including working with one of the Rotary Clubs in Ukraine to start talking about “how we can help rebuild their community”.

He added one of the club’s members regularly drives out to Ukraine, providing life-saving equipment and medical supplies “and we’re going to continue to support him and that initiative in the next couple of years”.

Rev Burman was also keen to point out the service his predecessor provided to residents in the area.

He said: “Malcolm’s been a Rotarian now for many decades actually and he continues to support his local community.

“We were very lucky to have Malcolm last year because we came up with a plan for the club to grow and Malcolm oversaw that plan.”

The club in Swaffham, which is now in its 53rd year and has gone from 12 to 20 members, has provided continued support to the local area.

Rev Burman said: “We do projects with children and support people who have special needs in particular.

“We’ve done environmental projects like planting hedges in the local park areas and then obviously we quietly give money to people who are in need.”

The Rotary club will be holding a charity golf day at Swaffham Golf Club on Monday, July 10, with proceeds going to Norfolk and Waveney Postate Cancer Support along with other local Rotary charities.

Reporting by Joe Bunker