Wheel of friendship extended to Docklands

A symbol of international friendship was presented to the Rotary Club of Docklands last month.

The Wembley Wheel of Friendship was presented to Docklands Rotary president Mark Nutter by the president of the Port Melbourne Club Geri Charles on April 20. 

The trophy, which dates back to 1964, has been passed to each new club within Rotary district 9800.  Docklands Rotary is the newest club, having been chartered last June.

District historian John Meehan explained to Docklands Rotarians that the tradition was exclusive to district 9800 and harked back to the 1930s and the second world war when a number Essendon Rotarians became personally connected with the Wembley club in the UK.

The bonds between Wembley and Essendon continued to grow and were formally recognised when Wembley Rotarian Ted Garner had the wheel made and presented it to the Essendon club in 1964.

Essendon club member Alistair Fraser and his wife Pat attended the April 20 meeting – as did a healthy contingent of Port Melbourne club members.

The wheel is going back to Essendon as part of its upcoming celebrations marking 75 years.It will then be returned to Docklands before being handed on to the next club to charter, Melbourne Park, in Richmond, later this year.

Docklands Rotary meets every Tuesday at 6pm.  For further information see  http://www.docklandsrotary.org.au.