Brian Wedgwood, of Alandale Road, Teignmouth, writes:

I refer to the article about the Rotary Club of Teignmouth in last Friday's Teignmouth Post.

I resigned from the Rotary Club of Teignmouth at the end of June for reasons not related to the current situation but feel as a past president I have the right to correct some of the comments made.

The long simmering dispute referred to in the article has not been caused by the 'old school Rotary members' who, with their predecessors, have served this club and this town for more than 80 years, but by those (the minority) who demanded (but did not discuss) change for change's sake.

When I joined the club in 2002 we had 26 members. At the start of the 2008/9 Rotary year the club, despite some losses, had a membership of 36 plus four honorary members. I think that record of membership growth shows that the club is not dead but has been very forward thinking. Unfortunately not all of those we chose to join us proved to be of benefit for the long term health of the Rotary Club of Teignmouth.

It is not true the club has set out to bar lady members. We have two lady honorary members and in the last two years I, as past chairman of the youth and membership committee, have interviewed three ladies for membership. One, I have to admit, was totally unsuitable; the other two were invited to join but did not do so.

I am pleased Graham Smith states a lot of exciting people have expressed an interest in joining the new club. If that is the case, why have the three senior officers and the one council member not resigned from full membership of the Rotary Club of Teignmouth to set up and join the new club?

Past president Brian Harris hits the nail on the head when he states those who have resigned have been very secretive over the last six to nine months while they were trying to form another Rotary Club in Teignmouth.

Rotary throughout the world has always been at the forefront when disasters strike worldwide, raising funds to help those in need.

The Rotary Club of Teignmouth has been proud to support the ideals of Rotary International and is very proud of the way the people of Teignmouth have supported our fundraising activities so generously over many years. Hopefully this will continue.

However, Rotary is not just about fundraising it is about having fun and fellowship and enjoying the company of like minded people.

there will only be one rotary club of teignmouth and may it thrive in the future just as it has since 1926.THIS AND OTHER LETTERS IN OUR ONLINE EDITION