Mr Pearson said he was honoured to take up the position and looked forward to continuing local Rotary projects.

“Our big project this year was the Crescent School Sensory Garden. We are working on the car park to in crease the safety of pupils, staff and parents,” he said. 

Mr Pearson worked on the railway, eventually becoming a Production Manager at the Railway Workshops. He joined Rotary in 2015.

“Rotary has been good to me - it is a good release to come here. We have formalities but it is also a lot of fun and we do a lot of good work for the community,” he said

“I expect some good growth in the club in the future.”

Outgoing president Mick Cooper said it had been a busy year for the club.

“We have initiated Zumba classes and sent young people off to Rypen and Ryla,” he said. 

“We have formed strong alliances with local business in our ‘Friends of Rotary’ group, which meets in the mornings.” He said the club had donated $23,000 to the local community last year for a diverse range of projects

A Paul Harris Fellowship was awarded to Dick Kerrins in appreciation for “his his substantial contribution to Rotary’s humanitarian and educational programs.”