A NEW sports club has partnered with Basingstoke Rugby Football Club as it aims to "bring young people together" and increase membership.
Rotary Sport International, a club that aims to "bring enthusiastic people together into a common space while at the same time looking at charitable projects which are sports-driven," has joined forces with Basingstoke Rugby Club to provide a venue for meetings and projects.
Birthed in Basingstoke, the club is the brainchild of Dr Tunde Adelakun who is the President of the Rotary Club of Basingstoke who explained that projects could include "building infrastructure in downtrodden spaces across the world."
He said he set up the club to "preserve the tenets and objectives of Rotary but with a view to use the power of sport to bring people together, to help society, to change lives of our youth and provide a spirit of wellbeing amongst ourselves."
Dr Tunde explained that after making contact with the town's rugby club, he was able to secure a venue for its meetings, with the inaugural meeting being held on Thursday October, 31, in the clubhouse.
He said: "We had a very good connection with the Basingstoke Rugby Football Club whose Chair James Jagged agreed straightaway to be a member of our Club and availed us the use of facilities in the Rugby Club for our meetings and future events."
James Jagged, chairman of Basingstoke Rugby Football Club, said: "Joining Rotary Sport has been a rewarding experience, offering a great sense of community and the chance to connect through the shared passion for sports.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to support and contribute to local initiatives, making a positive impact on and off the field."
The Club is being chartered internationally and Dr Tunde said it has received "wide appeal and acceptance thus far."
This meeting will be the first of its kind and Dr Tunde was quick to mention people who have come together in a short time, to see to it becoming a reality.
He said: "First is the district governor of Rotary in my district - Debbie Dunford - who gave unflinching support to the idea and the concept of having a club that pulls together people of like minds, who want to fellowship in mutual interest and passion for sport and also are committed to embracing sports based charitable projects.
"We also have the privilege of having stalwarts in the community like Anthony Bravo, principal of Basingstoke College of Technology and a host of many others as members of this Club."
Dr Tunde has plans to expand the club internationally, he said: "Our club will be big. We are bringing a brand new dynamic into what Rotary of today is, the appeal worldwide is overwhelming as we are signing up big names as global ambassadors of Rotary Sport and will be rolling out our projects soon."
He previously told the Gazette that the club will "attend big events that align with local, national and international associations and federations through their respective foundations."
Membership of Rotary Sport is open to anyone "who has an interest in sport and can commit a bit of time to talk about benevolent and charitable projects that will help sports development anywhere in the world."
Those who are interested can take part in the first meeting at the Basingstoke Rugby Club on October 31 by arriving at 6pm and speaking to a member of Rotary Sport.
For more details, readers can email rotarysport@mail.com
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