I thought that since I talk about it a lot (55 times so far) I'd explain about Rotaract, what I do in and what I get up to. Specially since I don't remember the last time I did and I've definitely had more people reading this since then.

I first heard of Rotaract seven years ago when I moved here and really a chance to make friends outside of work and fencing. And something to do with my evenings and weekends. I joined Wallingford Rotaract. To start with I was new and shy and didn't go to much outside of the club's things. I felt like a bit of an outsider too sometimes, because this group of people all knew each other and stayed round each others houses and met up outside of Rotaract events.

It changed a bit when I went to my first National Conference in Southampton in 2002. Having had twelve hours sleep the night before (clearly, I needed to catch up) it meant I managed Wide Awake Club. Which, as the name suggests, means you stay awake all night drinking, then have breakfast, then go to the first conference session. Then spend the afternoon asleep. It was a really great way to meet people.

Gradually things changed, people left the club, new people joined, and after being Secretary and Vice President for two years I failed to prevent myself becoming President. It was an interesting year, not least because at the start of the year I was really nervous talking to 30 people. By January I could manage 60, no problem.

And at this point I should explain that the Rotaract year starts in July. So we only have two weeks of it left now.

It all went a bit downhill from there because for the past two years I've been the Communications Officer on the District Exec and am on the Conference Crew for the National Conference in 2009.

It's through Rotaract that I learnt of Habitat for Humanity and went to Romania last year (in fact, this time last year, I'd just got back). It's also through Rotaract that I have someone giving me a lift to the hospital on Friday when I have my wisdom tooth out, someone else giving me a lift back and someone staying with me afterwards. And no one has to take a day off work (except me, obviously).

At the last club meeting last Tuesday, it was then that I asked if anyone could stay. One of our new members said that I'd need someone I trusted (which is true, because I'm not really going to be a position to be a good hostess - if I ever am) and needed to ask my friends. The thing is - I was.

I do have friends all over the place, but the only friends I have round here are in Rotaract (partly because I haven't been to fencing for a long time, after my lift moved). It's something that makes it hard to justify leaving because I'd still go to all the social events to see my friends from around the District.

This month, there's something going on every Saturday. Last week was one club's 30th birthday party, yesterday was a charity launch, next Saturday is the town carnival, which we have a stall at, and clashing with Middle Saturday at Wimbledon, is the District Handover. The latter's going to be an awards party and I have accidentally nominated myself for an award. (The awards are going to be a mixture of sensible ones and silly ones for people who have made asses of themselves in some way.)

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