Inner Wheel Club

International Inner Wheel is the administrative body that acts as the umbrella for the organisation worldwide. We are one of the largest women’s service voluntary organisations in the world and are active in more than 103 countries. We have more than 103,000 members in 3,895 Clubs. It has an Executive Committee of 5 elected members and 16 elected Board Directors. International Inner Wheel is an international organisation closely linked to Rotary International that was founded in 1924 to unite wives and daughters of Rotarians.

Every three years there is an International Triennial Convention organised by a hosting country committee and the IIW Governing Body where changes to the constitution are discussed and voted upon by the membership.

The International Inner Wheel objectives are (a) promoting true friendship, (b) encouraging the ideals of personal service, and (c) fostering international understanding. Women do not have to be linked to Rotarians to join Inner Wheel anymore.

History of Inner Wheel

Mrs. Margarette Golding, a nurse, businesswoman, and the wife of a Manchester Rotarian, started the Inner Wheel movement in 1924. Prior to 1924, wives of Rotarians in many cities and towns, prompted by a concern for public welfare, had been voluntarily giving their time and energy to help in project being undertaken by their Rotarian relatives. On the 15th November 1923, twenty-seven Rotary wives, led by Mrs. Golding, met in a Cooling Room (because it was free of charge) at Herriot’s Turkish Baths, South Parade St Mary’s Street, Deansgate, owned by the Electro-Medical Treatment Company Limited. By the time of the next meeting on 10 January 1924, held at the Social Club, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, funds had been raised and woollen garments knitted and sent to local hospitals. It was at this meeting that the name suggested by Mrs Golding “The Inner Wheel Club of Manchester” was adopted, thus cleverly indicating the connection to Rotary whose emblem is the Rotary wheel. The emblem quickly followed, which is the Rotary wheel with another smaller wheel within.

In 1929, the aims and objects of Inner Wheel were "to promote true friendship and the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service and the betterment of social conditions".

During 1931, the first Inner Wheel Club was chartered in Australia at Ballarat, Victoria. The Rotarian President at Ballarat, Mr Maddern, had written to Mrs Golding asking for details about the Inner Wheel movement in Great Britain and Ireland. Mrs Golding was overjoyed at the enquiry. In fact she was said to quote "This is the first enquiry from the Colonies". Ballarat was the first club formed outside Great Britain and Ireland.

In 1934, the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland was formed with 79 founder clubs. Even before 1934, some Clubs were formed in other parts of the world, having heard about the Inner Wheel organisation in Great Britain & Ireland - such as Ballarat (1931), North Sydney (1933) and Bendigo (1933) in Australia - in the following years, more Inner Wheel Clubs formed, for example, the Napier Club (1936) in New Zealand, Port Elizabeth (1938) in South Africa, and Winnipeg (1943) in Canada. From 1945 Inner Wheel continued to expand globally, with the formation of at least 15 Clubs in remote places.

See also

References

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