SO YOU are walking down the street, and you see a homeless person who asks you for a pound. Somehow your heart melts, and you give him your last couple of quid.

You are holding a fiver in your hand which you already had plans for, to spend in buying a specific item. Someone walks up to you and is in clear and obvious need for money, more than your own need. You decide to part with your fiver and perhaps make the decision to go pay for your item by card.

You hear about a place on the other side of the world where there is obvious hardship on the people who had nothing to do with the cause of their hardship; victims of war and strife which they had no hand in. And you decide to part with your cash, to help better their lives. By doing so, you deprive yourself of the privilege of hanging out with your pals that particular weekend, knowing full well that the money you have donated will be better utilised and will be more appreciated by the people who needed it more.

What about the non-material things, acts of service that you fortuitously and innocuously carry out, just to help people next to you?

That is what selflessness is all about. People see you as kind, people see you as thoughtful, some say you’re ‘so sweet’. But when you are seen as selfless, you don’t really care about what people say.

You can be kind, you can be generous, you can be ‘sweet’, thoughtful and all. But are you selfless?

Imagine joining an organisation, a club, an association or a group…with the sole aim of helping people, getting to know people and their needs, getting to know more of people’s causes and what they stand for….and offering in your own way, to help.

Now that is selflessness.

An act where you do not need to be personally and specifically acknowledged and mentioned, but just a pride at being a part of a group that has made a difference in people’s lives.

Now that is selflessness.

Rotary Club is one of those groups. A club that cares for what goes on in Basingstoke and beyond. There are so many people, charities, groups that are in our town - here in Basingstoke - that could do with continued and sustained support. We see them all the time. We see what goes on in our town and always feel obliged to add our small contribution to touching people’s lives.

Basingstoke is a great town…..it is definitely NOT boring. And if it starts to take a turn for the Boring, the onus is on us to change it and make sure it stays vibrant.

The vibrance of the town is meant to be a reflection of the people in it. And the people can only be vibrant if we touch people’s lives and enrich them and enrich the environment where we call Basingstoke.

That is what Rotary is all about - a move to use all that is good, all that is positive, all that is dynamic to bring positive change to the community of Basingstoke.

There is no age limit. Do not listen to the stigma, we are here to make the change and live the moment…..and drive the change to the perception of our town by our selflessness.

Touching lives, making the big difference through Rotary….is the reward we like to see for the selflessness that we have.

You can be a part of us today. It is a new age, and we are at the forefront of it.

Email us on newagerotarybasingstoke@mail.com and see the many ways through which you can express your selflessness through Rotary!