Many of us can’t be bothered to turn up to a meeting a few minutes down the road.

Not Alan Booth.

In 50 years as a member of the Rotary Club, the 83-year-old from Thongsbridge has never missed a weekly meeting.

No matter where he is in the world, Alan has made sure he has turned up to the local club.

His dedication to the Rotary Club – a global charity for community causes – has seen him sit through meetings in France, Germany and Tenerife.

He would plan any time away from home, including holidays with his wife Lynn, to feature a meeting at the nearest club, often having to find a member that could translate for him.

His only hiccup came when a visit of Prince Charles scuppered his bid to attend a meeting at the club in Venice. He explained: “It took quite a long time to get there because of the canals and when I got there it was all locked up. They weren’t having a meeting because of the royal visit.

“But I was determined to keep my record so I had to dig out the secretary and get my attendance signed.”

Venice Grand Canal

Alan first joined the rotary movement as a businessman in Chepstow in 1965 and has had two stints as a member of Huddersfield Rotary Club in his five decades of membership – 1967 - 1981 and 2006 to present day.

Alan said he was very proud of his loyalty to the movement.

“Rotary is a way of life,” he said. “It’s a great way of putting something back in the pot.”

Alan, who was presented with a certificate at the club’s weekly meeting at the John Smith’s Stadium, said now he had the landmark half-century he was finally adopting a more easy going attitude to attendance.

“They’ve made me an honorary member which is the best one they can give you,” he said. “Now I can relax a bit and go to meetings when I feel like it.“

Huddersfield Rotary club spokesman, John Denham, said: “I am not sure which record Alan would claim as his favourite.

“Is it the one that in 50 years as a Rotarian he has never missed a weekly meeting or is it that no one has ever seen him without a tie?

I wonder, but doubt, if there is another Rotarian in the world that can boast of such a record.”

Factfile:

There are 1.2 million members of the Rotary Club across more than 200 countries.

The organisation was launched by American lawyer Paul P. Harris in Chicago on February, 23 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships.

Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.

The club has campaigned for countless good causes and spent more than 35 years fighting polio.

The women’s version of Rotary, the Inner Wheel Club launched in 1924.

Famous Rotarians include: boxer Manny Pacquio, US President Warren G Harding and inventor of the radio, Italian, Guglielmo Marconi.