Activity diary - Riverside Rotary
Helping charities and the local community since 1991
Welcome to Riverside Rotary
Events in detail
Mock Interviews in local secondary schools
Members and volunteers attend day long sessions at a number of Maidstone secondary schools by providing mock job interviews to help students with their careers education. No prior interviewing experience is needed (although of course it helps), just a willingness to listen to young people and give them some feedback on how they come across.
Anybody wishing to join us in taking part in this please email us by clicking here
Swim Relay
March is the time of our annual Swim Relay event in aid of Demelza at Maidstone Leisure Centre. Originally run in 2015 this major event focusses on children and families by providing a means for local charities and organisations to raise money. It's a sponsored swim for people of all abilities and ages and is a real fun, community event. After a few missed years due to the Covid 19 pandemic we re-started again in 2024 and participants that year raised over £25000 for Demelza and other local charities and clubs The 2025 event raised nearly £17000. The 2026 event on 22nd March brought in over £12000. 21st March 2027 is in the diary for the next one. All are welcome. Click here for more information
Books for Zimbabwe
Throughout the year we collect childrens school books ready for a bi-annual despatch to schools in Zimbabwe. Children there have a real thrist for learning but a scarcity of books and resources and we work with the Rotary Club of Harare to get books to where they are needed.
Car Park Marshalling
Through the spring and summer months we help with car park marshalling for a number of local events. All are listed on the accompanying table. If you'd like to help out please let us know by clicking here.
Race Night
In October we take over a local venue to run a fun race night with all proceeds going to a local charity. In 2024 we visitied Harrietsham Village Hall in support of Space 2 Be Me for a classic race night. In 2025 we rang the chnages and had a pig racing evening instead!!! Huge fun!! All are welcome at these events. 2026 evening to be confirmed...
Bikes & Tools for Africa collection
October sees our annual collection of old or unused bikes in Maidstone Lockmeadow to send to people in need of them in Africa. Bikes are re-furbished and unsuitable ones are either sold for funds to help with the appeal or stripped down for spare parts. Our thanks go out to Lockmeadow Marketplace and Seymour Transport for their help with the venue and logistics.
Since 2024 we also collect old tools, also for Africa. So if you have any tools or bikes for us we'll be happy to take them off your hands then. If you're unable to bring them to the marketplace on the day please call 07793 817226 or email us here. We may be able to collect from you depending on location. We will also accept bikes through the year which we will store until the collection day.
Christmas Charity collections
Members and volunteers collect money donations from shoppers at some of the main supermarkets during the run up to Christmas. Proceeds go to a number of named charities and also to bolster Riverside Rotary general charity fund for distribution to other good causes. Dates are published on our homepage before the events. Anyone wishing to join us please let us know by emailing us here.
Charity Shoe box packing
Every year members donate contents and pack shoe boxes with Christmas gifts for disadvantaged children in eastern Europe. Packing of the shoeboxestakes place in October and November. If you'd like to make a financial donation to the ongoing project please contact us by clicking here
Club Diary 2025-26 For more information or to join us at any of the events please either click where prompted or email us of course this year is nearly finished and so we are planning for 2026-27. Information will be available soon... | ||
Date | Event | Info |
22.6.25 | Demelza Bubble Rush | Car Park Marshalling in Mote Park |
1.7.25 | Adventure Golf | Fun golf and dinner at The Ridge Golf Club |
8.7.25 | Club meeting | Fellowship evening, Guess the member's identity competition |
12.7.25 | Summer Fayre | Car Park marshalling and other help. Organised by Fusion at Parkwood |
30.7.25 | Canoeing & BBQ | Annual Crossroads Young Carers event at Maidstone Canoe Club |
2.8.25 | Charity visit | A visit to Demelza Hospice in Sittingbourne |
5.8.25 | Petanque | Petanque and dinner at the Duke of Wellington Ryarsh |
12.8.25 | Club meeting | Talk by Chantelle Willows, Maidstone & Mid Kent Mind |
26.8.25 | Club meeting | Talk on Costa Rica & the Galpagos Islands by Clive Bradburn |
26.9.25 | Mock Interviews | Maplesden Noakes School Yr 11's |
14.10.25 | Club meeting | Visit from friends at Voorburg Rotary Club |
25.10.25 | Bikes & Tools for Africa Collection day | Maidstone Market place, Lockmeadow, 9.00 - 3.00 |
28.10.25 | Club meeting | Talk by Duncan Edwards of Climate Action Network |
25.11.25 | Club meeting | Club SGM |
9.12.25 | Club meeting | Speaker to be arranged |
15.12.25 | Mock Interviews | Rosewood School |
16.12.25 | Club meeting | Club Christmas Party ! |
27.1.26 | Club meeting | Talk on the RBLI from Paula Ray |
10.2.26 | Club meeting | Talk on Domstic abuse by Claire Fowler, CEO of Oasis |
24.2.26 | Club meeting | Talk from Anna Thoimas, Nat West on Fraud and scams |
22.3.26 | Swim Relay | Maidstone Leisure Centre 11.30 - 17.00 |
28.3.26 | Community Chest event | Cornwallis Suite |
24.3.26 | Club meeting | Job talk by member Keith Livermore |
14.4.26 | Club meeting | Talk from Jane Pegler of Communigrow |
28.4.26 | Community Chest event | The Cornwallis Suite, Courtenay Rd |
26.5.26 | Club meeting | Visit to Penn Oast Vineyard |
13-14.6.26 | Ditton Tournament | Car park marshalling at Ditton Recreation Grnd |
23.6.26 | Club meeting | President's night |