The Round Table is an international non-profit organization that started in England back in 1927.
The founder, Louis Marchesi, was a young member of Norwich Rotary Club who felt a need existed for a club where the young businessmen of the town could gather regularly. At their meetings, they could exchange ideas, learn from the experiences of their colleagues and play a collective part in the civic life of their hometown.
From the start, it was agreed that Round Table would be a non-religious and non-political club. This has continued to this very day.
Round Table now exists in many European countries, throughout Africa, the Middle East, India, Hong Kong, New Zealand and America. Round Table is represented in every continent of the world.
The institution embraces representatives of nearly every profession and occupation.
Round Table Southern Africa is made up of over 940 members belonging to Table clubs spread within 14 areas covering South Africa.
Bushveld is one of the 14 areas and is made up of 12 individual table clubs across Pretoria, Pietersburg, Tzaneen, Groblersdal, Phalaborwa and Loskop.
What does the Round Table do?
They call it tabling, and a “table” is a local club consisting of young men aged between 18 and 40.
The members meet regularly, plan and organize functions and events that focus on community service, raising funds for charitable causes, personal development, as well as fun and fellowship. Together, they aim to form an international network of bright young men.
How do they ‘table’?
The Round Table motto is “Adopt, Adapt, Improve”.
They aim to bring together a group of talented young men to challenge, inspire and learn from each other.
“We share ideas openly with trust and empower each individual to make a positive impact at home, work and in his community,” said Round Table chairman Tyrone Juul.
What events are held by the Round Table?
Every Round Table club hosts one or two business meetings and usually one social meeting per month. These meetings are the forums at which various welfare projects and fund-raisers are discussed, often with input from outside speakers.
“Social meetings may be used to play action cricket or some other social activity, or more frequently, simply to ‘raid’ another table in the endless quest for more fun and fellowship,” said Juul.
“In particular, Round Table offers an opportunity for meeting new friends from your own community, area, country and the all over the world. It also offers a vehicle for self-improvement in areas such as public speaking, leadership, project management, and meeting procedure.”
Travel forms an important part of taking part and is integral to the smooth operation of Round Table internationally. Typically, a visiting “tabler” to another association is often looked after by tablers in that association to make it easier for tablers to travel internationally.
Original Article found here: Pretoria Rekord