THE president of a Bolton Rotary club says the gender and ethnic diversity of its membership is boosting its capacity to raise money for charitable causes.

Bernard Murphy was speaking after handing out a total of £1,380 to three local charities on behalf of the Bolton Lever Rotary Club at its latest meeting at the Old Links Golf Club in Chorley Old Road.

The charities, Bolton Deaf Society, the MenCap shop in Chorley Old Road and the Families and Babies group (FAB), in Tonge Moor Road, each received £460.

The cash was part of a total of more than £3,000 raised jointly with Bolton Lions Club on Santa’s traditional sleigh run during the festive period.

Its cash handover coincides with a recruitment drive by the club which Mr Murphy says is keen to welcome both men and women and any ethnicities.

“We have a membership of nearly 30 members,” said Mr Murphy. “We finding that our mix of men and women as well as the ethnic diversity of the club is helping us raise more cash in the community.

“It is also making our regular twice-monthly meetings vibrant and interesting from both a social point of view and from the serious business of raising money for worthy causes.”

Meanwhile. the club is preparing to plant nearly 2,000 trees parkland in the Heaton and Smithills areas this year having planted 10,000 crocuses in the last five years.

The club is part of the world wide Rotary International organisation whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. It is a non-political and non-sectarian organization open to all people regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, or political preference.