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The birmingham assay office participates in the 100th Rotary International convention

Birmingham is ready to welcome more than 20,000 people from over 151 different countries to the City.

The Birmingham Assay Office will participate in the 100th Rotary International Convention, taking place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 20-24th June 2009. 

The Office will have a stand in the Victorian Britain Themed “House of Friendship”, which has been put together in Hall 5 of the NEC as a central focal point for the Rotarians during the Convention.

The Birmingham Assay Office staff will be appropriately attired in Victorian costume and will promote items “Made and Hallmarked” in Birmingham’s Historic Jewellery Quarter. 
 
Rotary International is a worldwide organisation of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian services, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. It has more than 1.2million members, in over 32,000 clubs throughout 200 different countries. 

Rotary International is a very influential organisation and many of its members are international business leaders, opinion formers and decision makers.  It is wonderful to have so many people gather in Birmingham during such challenging times and is a real opportunity not only to showcase all that the City of Birmingham has to offer, but also for The Birmingham Assay Office to promote the Jewellery Quarter in general and its own internationally renowned expertise in the jewellery and precious metals industries in particular. 

Local Birmingham Jewellery Quarter manufacturer Toye Kenning & Spencer has produced its 300,000th Rotary lapel badge just as the Rotary International Annual Convention arrives in Birmingham.  Toye Kenning & Spencer are an official licensed supplier of Rotary gifts, badges and regalia, and has manufactured Rotary items since the charitable organisation was founded in 1911.

The Rotary motto is “Service above Self” and over the years the organisation has been behind many powerful and effective campaigns for example, tackling polio, improving health and sanitation and providing education and job training,  Fiona Toye, director of Toye Kenning & Spencer said  “It has been a pleasure to provide the Rotarians with their gifts and regalia and we are looking forward to welcoming them to our city”.

The Birmingham Assay Office will also be keen to advance its heritage to the Rotarians, as this year marks the Bicentenary of the death of its founder, the most important industrial pioneer of the 18th century and celebrated silversmith, Matthew Boulton.  Birmingham City Council are hosting a stunning exhibition at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – Gas Hall entitled Matthew Boulton: “Selling what all the world desires”.  Admission is Free and is showing until 27th September 2009.  

The Rotary International Convention is hosted by the Rotary Club of Birmingham and has been backed by Marketing Birmingham in partnership with Birmingham City Council, The NEC Group and Advantage West Midlands.  It is expected to generate an estimated £19.5m for the regional economy.

Brian Fuller CBE, Chairman of the Host Organising Committee said:  “It is a tremendous honour for us to host such a high profile and important event as the 100th Rotary convention here in Birmingham.  This global gathering of business and professional leaders will exchange ideas and exhibit projects that reflect our organization’s commitment to promoting peace, and to addressing such critical issues as hunger, poverty, disease and illiteracy.”

There will also be a pre-convention Peace Symposium, which will be addressed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

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