Unscripted - The official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland

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Nov 2026

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Unscripted brings together the voices, stories and insights that shape the Rotary movement – from grassroots initiatives to global partnerships - every month. Unscripted is brought to you by Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland and is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. Look out for new episodes every month. To find out more about joining Rotary visit rotarygbi.org/join and to read more inspiring Rotary stories, head to magazine.rotarygbi.org .

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39 recent

November 2, 202658 min

Bob Maskall on embracing change, growing Rotary and lessons from the cockpit | Plus the Purple Community Fund

This month's guest is Rotary GB&I Chair Bob Maskall , who joins Dave King and Alicia Reade to discuss his leadership lessons from the RAF, membership growth and why Rotary must embrace change while keeping clubs welcoming, purposeful and fun. The episode also features Jane Walker , founder of the Purple Community Fund, on transforming lives through education in the Philippines, and Roger Frank , whose extraordinary Rotary adventures include driving a pink ice cream van across the Sahara and building a working replica of an iron lung to promote polio eradication. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

October 8, 202655 min

Evan Burrell on storytelling, 2027 predictions and being the 'Rotary Superman'

What does Rotary look like in 2026 and moving into 2027? That is the question at the heart of the October edition of Rotary Unscripted, as Dave King and Alicia Reade welcome three guests from three very different corners of the Rotary world. Joining online from Australia is Evan Burrell, one of Rotary’s most colourful public image advocates; from Germany, Björn Lange, Editor-in-Chief of Rotary Magazin for Germany and Austria; and from Nottingham, Sophie Leadley, who is helping tell the story of one of Britain’s longest-established Rotary clubs and its work with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. All three are under 50. All three are communicators. But their experiences of Rotary could hardly be more different. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

September 2, 202656 min

Sylvia Whitlock: The woman who changed Rotary | Plus tackling Malaria in Zambia

In this episode of Rotary Unscripted, we meet Sylvia Whitlock , the pioneering Rotarian whose club took on an 11-year legal battle that reached the US Supreme Court and helped pave the way for women to join Rotary. Sylvia reflects on that remarkable chapter in Rotary’s history, becoming the world’s first female Rotary club president and the changes she has witnessed since. We also turn to one of Rotary’s major humanitarian challenges today. Former Rotary GB&I President Eve Conway shares what she discovered on a recent visit to Zambia, where community health workers are helping tackle malaria on the frontline, while Professor Ben Bradley introduces GIMMEE, a giant interactive mosquito with an important mission: getting people talking about a disease that still claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year. From challenging attitudes within Rotary to tackling disease around the world, three guests share stories which demonstrate what can happen when people decide that the way things are doesn’t have to be the way things remain. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

August 7, 20261 hr 7 min

A decade of leading Rotary GB&I with Amanda Wakin | Plus the power of literacy

On our 1 year anniversary episode, we're joined by Rotary Great Britain & Ireland Chief Executive Amanda Watkin to discuss more than a decade leading the Rotary Support Centre, how Rotary has evolved during that time and the opportunities and challenges facing the organisation in the years ahead. We also speak to to Debbie Vincent, President of Swindon Rotary Club, as the club celebrates its centenary. Their conversation looks back at 100 years of community service and the projects which have shaped one of Rotary's oldest clubs. The programme also focuses on literacy, bringing together Becky Turner, founder of the Rotary GB&I Book Club, and award-winning playwright Joan Greening. Together they discuss reading, writing, book clubs and encouraging young people to discover the pleasure of books before all four guests come together for a round-table discussion on leadership, volunteering, education and community. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

July 2, 202658 min

The state of UK food poverty with Trussell Trust CEO, Emma Revie

Food poverty affects millions of people across Great Britain and Ireland, but as the latest edition of ‘Rotary Unscripted’ reveals, the issue is about far more than food alone. The July episode of Rotary Magazine's podcast brings together charity leaders and Rotarians working on the frontline of community support to explore the realities of food insecurity, the pressures facing families and the practical ways communities are responding. The programme begins with Emma Revie , Co-Chief Executive of Trussell, the anti-poverty charity supporting a network of more than 1,400 food bank centres across the United Kingdom. Last year, food banks within the Trussell community distributed more than 2.6 million emergency food parcels. Emma discusses the scale of food poverty today, why many working households are struggling to make ends meet, and the growing demand for support being seen across the country. We also hear from Bromley Rotary Game Changers in south-east London and Brynmawr Rotary Club in South Wales about the projects they're involved in to help tackle the issue of food poverty. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

June 3, 202655 min

Tom Gump on membership, innovation and the changing face of Rotary

This month's special guest on Unscripted is Tom Gump, one of the most recognisable international advocates for modernising Rotary’s membership approach. A Rotary International Director-elect from Minnesota, he has built a reputation around creating flexible, cause-driven clubs focused on issues such as refugee support, anti-human trafficking and veterans’ welfare. The discussion examines whether Rotary’s traditional structures still fit modern volunteering culture, particularly in an era where work patterns, family life and digital communication have fundamentally altered how people engage with organisations. That generational conversation continues with Chloe Rollings , who represents one of the emerging younger leadership voices within Rotary and Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland. Chloe, whose own Rotary journey began through the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards programme only a few years ago, speaks candidly about perceptions surrounding Rotary among younger professionals. The conversation then shifts towards another crucial question facing Rotary internationally: long-term financial sustainability. Cheryl Law ’s interview offers a thoughtful exploration of how The Rotary Foundation increasingly relies not only on annual fundraising but also on planned giving, endowments and major donor support. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

May 6, 202656 min

Francesco Arezzo on global leadership and grassroots connections

The May edition of Rotary Unscripted, brings together three guests to discuss Rotary’s work across public health, modern slavery and sport, alongside a wider round-table conversation on the organisation’s global reach. The opening interview features Francesco Arezzo , President of Rotary International. Speaking from his home in Sicily, Francesco reflects on taking up the presidency in unexpected circumstances and the transition into leading an organisation with more than a million members worldwide. Francesco outlines his presidential message, “Unite for Good”, and how this is intended to guide Rotary clubs in different countries. He also speaks about a visit to Pakistan, where he met people affected by polio, describing the realities of the disease and the ongoing work to eradicate it. The second guest is Dave McCleary , Chair of the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery. Speaking from Atlanta, USA, Dave discusses modern slavery and human trafficking, outlining the scale of the issue and how it operates across global systems. The programme then turns to sport with Steve Martin , a past district governor and Rotary International Coordinator. Steve, a keen Liverpool fan, introduces the Rotary Fellowship of World Football, a new initiative bringing together Rotarians with an interest in the game. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

April 7, 20261 hr 27 min

Westminster Special: The fight against polio and the global issues shaping Rotary today

Welcome to a bumper special edition of Rotary Unscripted. The podcast opens with Rotary International Director, Harriette Verwey , who represents a Rotary region which includes Great Britain and Ireland. Topics of conversation include the evolving role of Rotary in modern society, the upcoming Action Summit in Rotterdam and of course, polio. From there we had to the Palace of Westminster, for special conversations with Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo and the World Health Organization's Dr Jamal Ahmed . The pair were in attendance at a special End Polio Now event in London during Commonwealth Week. From one capital to another, we travel to Ireland to speak to Garth Arnold , one of the Rotary members behind Dublin's successful bid to host the Rotary International Convention in 2031. We speak to Garth on the significance of the bid and what the convention could mean for Rotary across Ireland and Great Britain. Finally, we chat to David Welch from the Rotary Club of Ilminster about a project supporting the Emergency Volunteer Action Group, which helps communities affected by flooding in Somerset. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

March 5, 202656 min

Ukraine: Four years on from invasion with Borys Bodnar, Mykola Stebljanko and Nadia Tikhonova

As Ukraine passes the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion, the March episode of Unscripted, brings listeners first-hand accounts from Rotarians whose lives and service have been shaped by years of conflict and displacement. Mykola Stebljanko joins the episode from the Khershon region of Ukraine, close to the front line, where he is serving in the Marine Corps. Home is Odesa, where he and wife Olga continue their lives and Rotary involvement amid the realities of conflict. Also featured is Borys Bodnar , a British-Ukrainian Rotarian based in Lviv. Born in Leicester to Ukrainian parents, Borys moved to Ukraine several years ago and now oversees the logistics of Rotary’s principal humanitarian aid hub in Lviv. The episode’s final guest is Nadia Tikhonova , a Ukrainian national now living in Rutland in the East Midlands. After arriving in the UK following the invasion, Nadia helped establish the Ukrainian Rotary Impact Club of Rutland, a group that supports humanitarian projects in Ukraine while fostering ties within the local community. Across these conversations, Unscripted presents a range of perspectives tied together by a common thread: Rotarians responding to extraordinary circumstances through service and coordination. For Rotarians in Great Britain & Ireland, many of whom have supported Ukrainian projects financially and practically over the past four years, the episode offers direct insight into where that support goes - and why it continues to matter. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.

February 6, 202651 min

World's Greatest Meal: The £6 million fundraiser protecting children from polio with founders Susanne Rea and Mukesh Malhotra

The podcast opens with Susanne Rea and Mukesh Malhotra , the co-founders of the World's Greatest Meal, launched in 2012 with a clear objective: to create a simple and accessible way for Rotary clubs and supporters to raise funds for End Polio Now. The idea encourages people to share a meal and donate what they might otherwise spend on eating out, with events ranging from formal dinners to informal gatherings in homes, workplaces and community venues. The discussion then turns to leadership development in the United Kingdom, with Karen Eveleigh from Faringdon Rotary Club in Oxfordshire outlining the Rotary Developing Future Leaders programme. Developing Future Leaders is an accredited qualification delivered in schools and colleges across England, including mainstream settings and those supporting learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The podcast is also joined by round-the-world sailor Jasmine Harrison while sailing in the South Atlantic from St Helena to Recife in Brazil on the latest leg of the Mini Globe Race. It is a remarkable interview captured while Jasmine was sailing in the middle of the ocean. The 26-year-old Rotarian from Thirsk in North Yorkshire discusses the voyage so far, and the challenges she now faces in the closing stages of the round-the-world race which finishes in Antigua in March. --- You have been listening to 'Unscripted', the official podcast of Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland. Unscripted is hosted by Dave King and Alicia Reade. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary or join us, visit rotarygbi.org/join and read more stories in Rotary Magazine at magazine.rotarygbi.org . You can listen to our archive wherever you found this podcast. Please follow us to get new episodes immediately downloaded to your device. If you’ve enjoyed this you can leave us a 5* review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts – it helps to spread the word. We’d love you to share this podcast with friends, family and colleagues inside and outside of Rotary.