The Club recently received from Rotary GB&I a Certificate in commemoration of the Clubs 95th Anniversary on 9th October 2025. The certificate was formally received at our Christmas Lunch meeting. President Paul Smith said he was honoured to receive the certificate on behalf of the Club.
The Club also presented two commemorative glasses to longstanding club members John G Smith and John Walsham, who had been members for 50 and 52 years respectively and are still active members of the Club.
The Rotary Club of Grays Thurrock set an all-time collecting record at Christmas and due to the generosity of Thurrock residents we collected over £13,300. The Club organised 10 nights of sleigh runs around the Grays area and nine days of collections outside, Asda at Tilbury, Morrisons at Corringham and Tesco at Lakeside. The new sleigh tracker helped residents and eager children to follow the sleigh online and meet us on route. Our new card machines and some good weather all contributed to this year’s record collection.
The Rotary Club of Grays Thurrock mourns the passing of our esteemed member, Ray Reynolds, who left us on 10 November 2025 at the age of 88. Ray’s life was a shining example of service, fellowship, and dedication to both community and country.
Staff from Treetops Schools walked the streets of Stanford-le-Hope on Tuesday to support Santa Claus and the Rotary Club of Grays Thurrock.
The Club celebrated its 95th Anniversary on 9th October2025, when the formal charter was presented to the Club at a Charter Meeting in the Queens Hotel in Grays.
On 2nd October Captain Don Cockerill, MBE, gave a fascinating talk on his 14-year life as a Thames Pilot and showed us a fascinating film, of doing his job in mountainous seas and unpiloted ships causing devastation by crashing into dockside cranes. Don gave a similar presentation at the recent District Conference.
Membership is more than attracting new members, its also about retaining those you already have and on 25th September, the club congratulated all 15 members who had reached at least 25 years of membership, with the presentation of a framed certificate and a letter of congratulation from Rotary International.
In support of World Polio Day on 24th October 202 the club held its annual Quiz Night at Thurrock Rugby Football Club on Friday 3rd October 2025, with over 70 people in nine teams attending.
At 1:00pm on Tuesday 19th August, 26 teams with 104 golfers started our clubs Charity Golf Day held at The Orsett Golf Club. The event was a huge success with the golfers enjoying great competition and once again warm weather on one of the finest courses in Essex.
Our speaker on 14th August was Caroline Plakhtienko, the West Essex Fraud Prevention Co-ordinator from Essex Police Serious Crime Directorate, based at Grays Police Station.
On a distinguished meeting marked by fellowship and tradition, the Rotary Club of Grays Thurrock met to commemorate the ceremonial handover of presidential duties from Andrew Roast to Paul Smith. This annual transition signifies both continuity and renewal within the Club's enduring commitment to service.
For more than three decades, Rotary has been giving disabled and disadvantaged young people the chance to enjoy new experiences, taste adventure and have fun trips and days out.
This year, on Wednesday 9th July, on a beautifully hot and sunny day our club took two full coach loads of children, their carers and teachers from Treetops School down to Adventure Island and the Sealife Centre at Southend-on-Sea, Essex and great fun was had by all.
Members of the Rotary Club of Grays Thurrock recently joined fellow Rotarians to celebrate a milestone evening—the 49th Charter Night of the Rotary Club of Basildon Concord. Held in the spirit of camaraderie and service, the event marked another chapter in the enduring legacy of Rotary in Essex.
