Teignmouth Rotary Club will be celebrating 80 years with a special lunch at the Cockhaven Manor Hotel, Bishopsteignton, on Sunday. At the celebratory gathering, the members will be joined by special guests. 'We have the RIBI president Peter Offer and district governor Denis Watts coming to the lunch,' said Nigel Edwards, Teignmouth Rotary Club president, who has been involved in the Rotary for 21 years. 'It is a quite an achievement to reach 80 years as a club. We currently have 33 members and four honorary members. 'I think one of our biggest achievements as a club was raising £25,000 for the tsunami appeal. We've also helped the Shelter Box Appeal and the Aqua Box Appeal, as well as assisting other various good causes.' Originally 25 members joined the club on November 2, 1926. Dr D Ross KilPatrick was voted president and as a local physician laid the foundation stone to the new Teignmouth Hospital in March 1953. The club has met at various venues including the Regent Café, The Blue Bird Tearooms, the Seacroft Private Hotel and the Gervis Café, London Hotel and more recently at the Cockhaven Manor Hotel. In the early 1960s the club twinned with Morlaix, France, and still have a good relationships with their European Club friends.
