Ferndown | Posted on May 1st, 2026 | return to news

Ferndown and Parley Rotary celebrates 50th anniversary

The Rotary Club for Ferndown and Parley filled the Great Hall at Canford School for its anniversary celebrations.

0:00 / 0:00

A local club in Dorset dedicated to making a difference to the community has reached its golden anniversary.

Over 100 people attended a dinner in the Great Hall at Canford School to celebrate 50 years of Rotary in Ferndown.

For 50 years, Ferndown and Parley Rotary has helped bring the community together, with members raising money for local and international causes by organising fun, local events like Fete on the Field and the Christmas Fayre Market. At the anniversary party, Rotarians and friends from the local area and as far afield as Dublin joined Ferndown and Parley Rotarians to celebrate the occasion and honour the club’s founding members.

Keith Adams, president of Ferndown and Parley Rotary, said that the club was determined to organise an event which would be a fitting tribute to the 32 founder members.

The importance of the occasion was such that the most senior figure in Rotary Great Britain and Ireland, Heather Stuart, travelled from Scotland to deliver congratulations.

Guests included Sheila Smith, the widow of the founding president John Smith, and Bill Field, a founder member. Field, who is still a very active member of Ferndown and Parley Rotary, was presented with a special memento to mark his 50 years as a Rotarian.

The evening highlighted how Rotary has given 50 years of service to the local community, in addition to donations aiding those suffering disasters internationally.

To find out more about Rotary and how to join the Ferndown and Parley club, visit https://www.ferndownandparleyrotary.org.