The president of the Rotary Club of Tenby welcomed members and guests, who included Rotarian Ted Whatley, the assistant governor, zone one, to the annual club assembly in the Royal Lion Hotel on Tuesday.

The meeting gave club president Steve Kelly the opportunity to set out his plans for an important year during which Rotary International will celebrate its centenary.

With a theme for the year of 'Celebrate', he stated that that was exactly what was planned.

It would be achieved through efforts to respond to local national and international requests for help and developing the close social and working ties that the club had established with other charitable organisations in West Wales in recent years.

He confirmed that a substantial fund was waiting for a local project that would be an appropriate way to recognise a hundred years of Rotary existence, and hinted at early plans for a centenary ball to be held next February to coincide with the actual anniversary.

During his year in office, president Steve said that he intended investigating the possibility of a twinning link with another Rotary club outside UK which would give members a chance to broaden their Rotary horizons.

His personal interests in youth development and music were evident by his enthusiasm to support the Youth Speaks, Young Chef and Young Musician competitions, and to look at introducing additional musical events into the community.

President Steve then gave his committee chairmen a chance to give details of their plans for the year.

All express their intention of continuing with the core of tried and tested programmes but with the injection of additional features as they were needed.

The fund-raising committee noted that there was an urgent need for a new modern telescope to replace the worn-out model that had given such good service over fifteen years, they were looking at costs, but realised that the capital outlay might be substantial.

They were also aware that the success of the club's main source of income, the Medieval Fayre in Manorbier Castle (July 28 this year) was dependant on weather and were consequently looking for an alternative event to compensate for the fayre being rained off.

Having completed his presentation, president Steve invited the district representative to say a few words. The new assistant governor, zone one, Ted Whatley congratulated the club on a comprehensive plan for an important year which he considered certainly needed a permanent local project to show how long Rotary had been going.

He informed the members that the zone project for the year was a novel plan to provide shoes for school children in Thailand and hoped Tenby would join in and give support.

He thanked the club for its record of continued financial contribution to the Rotary Foundation and in particular the Polio Plus Campaign which was in the final stage of eliminating polio and was recognised internationally as a great success.

He could see that the club was in good health having increased its membership regularly over the past few years and wished it well in the coming year.