THE outgoing president of the Rotary Club of Tranent has taken on another role.

Calum Thomson has taken on the role of Rotary International District 1020 District Governor.

Rotary District 1020 stretches from Dumfries and Galloway to Berwickshire and encompasses East Lothian’s six Rotary Clubs.

A spokesman for the Tranent club predicted a busy year ahead.

He said: “Our district governor, who has spent most of his life in East Lothian, has asked clubs to think about new innovative ways for which Rotary can grow and for clubs to think about how we can attract those volunteers in communities who stood up to be counted when the pandemic hit us to join like-minded individuals in Rotary.

“Calum also places an emphasis on Rotarians to keep contributing to the organisation’s number one priority: eradicating polio. This is one disease where we do have a vaccine and we can totally eradicate the disease from the whole world.

“Rotary, with its partners, has built impressive disease prevention infrastructures being used to fight back against the coronavirus.”

The 2020/21 session will see Rotary clubs throughout East Lothian celebrate a number of milestones. The county’s youngest club, Longniddry and District, celebrated its 40th birthday last May, while Haddington Rotary Club turns 60 in November.

The Rotary Club of Tranent, which welcomed James Bruce as the new incoming president, also marks 50 years of service in May next year.

Aberdeen-born Mr Bruce now lives in Tranent and is the chairman of the town’s Recharge charity.

He is also involved in a number of local groups, as chairman of Roots and Fruits, chairman of Care Free Kids and chairman of Lammermuir Community Transport since its inception in 1987. He is also a trustee of Recycling First.