A ROTARY club met for the last time after it was announced they would fold after almost eight decades.

The Rotary Club of Penarth met at a Gala Dinner at the Cardiff and County Club to mark the closing down of the club after 79 years.

Members voted at the beginning of May this year to disband as social pressures and business commitments had made it very difficult to recruit new members.

The clock on the roundabout in the town centre was donated by the rotary club in 1987 to mark its golden anniversary.

President Val Kacal said: "It could have been a sad evening but it was not.

"Instead the club celebrated those 79 years and all that the club has achieved in that time."

In his closing address, Mr Kacal recalled a few of the projects that the club has undertaken and reminisced about some of the past Rotarians who had served the club and given their fellowship.

He said: "The club has left the town clock and the map table on the Cliff Walk as permanent monuments to it activities.

"The Annual Fireworks Fiesta, which was started by the club nearly 40 years to provide safe and entertaining celebrations of Guy Fawkes Night, looks set to continue under the management of Penarth Rugby Club and that too will be a memorial to the activities of the club in the town as well as the annual schools concert."

Internationally, the club has contributed many thousands of pounds with the help of the people of Penarth to Rotary International’s campaign to eradicate polio from the world.

In conclusion, Mr Kacal said that, whilst the demise of the club was regrettable, members should not dwell on that.

He added: "We should fondly remember past Rotarians and the happy times and rejoice at all that the Rotary Club of Penarth has achieved in serving the community."

He closed the meeting with toasts to Rotary International and Rotarians the world over and to past Penarth Rotarians.