Champion Your Story: The Conversation That Changed Everything

Feeling Lost

When people ask me what attracted me to Round Table, I always smile because the honest answer is...

I wasn't looking for Round Table. I was looking for something to stop me feeling alone and broken.

In 2024, life became incredibly difficult. I was working as a primary school teacher, turning up every day with a smile on my face for the children in my classroom, while privately I felt completely lost. I had moved away from my family and friends, lived miles from the people who knew me best and worked in a profession where there simply weren't many opportunities to build close friendships with other men.

On the outside, everything looked fine. On the inside, I was struggling.

The Unexpected Invitation

I'd started attending Andy's Man Club in Preston, trying to make sense of everything that was going on in my life and searching for a reason to keep moving forward. During one conversation with my headteacher, she suggested something completely unexpected. She was married to the Chairman of Lancaster Round Table, Blake Prince, and asked if she could pass on my number.

I'd never even heard of Round Table!

A few days later Blake got in touch. He told me about the friendships, the events, the opportunities and, if I'm being completely honest, the promise of a free beer at Lancaster Beerfest in March probably helped convince me to come along!

Looking back now, I had absolutely no idea that replying to that message would change my life.

Finding My Place in Table

One of my first events was an Area 34 sporting event playing crazy golf. That was where I met Raz for the first time. If you've ever met someone who completely lives and breathes Table and the fact he is our President, you'll know exactly the type of person he is… His enthusiasm was infectious and it didn't take long before I was meeting Tablers from across the whole of Area 34 rather than just Lancaster.

That was the moment something clicked.

I realised Round Table wasn't just one club.

It was a network of genuine friends, all with different backgrounds but the same willingness to welcome someone new.

Throwing Myself Into It

By April 2024, I'd become a member. Then I did what I think is the secret to getting the most out of Table... I threw myself into it.

I genuinely believe you only get out of Table what you're prepared to put in.

I attended as many events as I could, got to know people, volunteered wherever I was needed and, before long, I stepped into the role of Social Media Officer for Lancaster Round Table. It felt important to give something back to the organisation that had already started giving so much to me.

As my confidence grew, so did my ambition.

Becoming Area Chairman

I'd become fascinated by what happened beyond my own club. The friendships I'd built across Area 34 had shown me just how much potential there was when Tables worked together.

Then Blake asked a question that completely caught me off guard: "Have you ever thought about the Area Chairman role?"

After barely a year in Table, it felt like a huge responsibility. Part of me thought I wasn't ready. The other part thought... Why not? In April 2025, I became Area 34 Chairman.

It has genuinely been one of the best decisions I've ever made. My goal wasn't just to organise events. I wanted to bring our four Tables closer together, encourage people to visit each other more often and make Area 34 feel alive again.

We introduced new events, strengthened our competitions, grew our social media presence and built friendships that stretched across the whole Area. Round Table is full of opportunities, we have welcomed visitors from Venray-Horst Round Table 160, began building relationships with Münster Round Table, learned from other Areas at Kick-Off Weekend in Coventry and created opportunities for people to experience more of everything Table has to offer.

Being Area Chairman has helped me grow more than I ever imagined. It pushed me outside my comfort zone, taught me leadership, improved my confidence and introduced me to people I'll be friends with for years to come.

A Moment I’ll Never Forget

Besides all the travelling, meetings and events, one experience will always stay with me.

In Lancaster, we had the opportunity to bring the Charity Santa Sleigh back into the Round Table family. It had originally belonged to Carnforth Round Table before being managed by Carnforth Rotary for around twenty years. Bringing it home felt incredibly special.

Seeing children light up as Father Christmas arrived, watching families come together and knowing we were raising money to support our local community reminded me exactly what Round Table is really about. And for our first charity raising over £5400 felt incredible beyond words. I felt proud. I was happy.

A Life Transformed

Yes, we're a social organisation. But we're also a charity. We're neighbours helping neighbours. We're ordinary men making an extraordinary difference in our communities.

Today, my life looks completely different from the one I was living in 2024.

The man who felt isolated and without direction has been replaced by someone with genuine friendships, purpose and excitement for what's around the next corner. I now share a home with one of my closest friends, a fellow Tabler. I travel across the UK and overseas meeting incredible people. I look forward to events instead of dreading weekends. I wake up knowing there's always another opportunity waiting.

I've been fortunate enough to be Area 34 Chairman again for 2026–27 and I'm incredibly grateful for the chance to continue building on everything we've started.

My Message to Anyone Thinking About Joining

Round Table didn't magically solve every problem in my life. What it did was give me the people, the opportunities and the confidence to start rebuilding it myself. If there's one thing I'd say to anyone wondering whether to get involved, it's this:

Don't sit on the sidelines waiting for life to change.

Reply to the message.

Turn up to the meeting.

Say yes to the event.

Throw yourself into it.

Because you never know where one conversation, one friendship or one evening might lead.

I certainly didn't.

Round Table didn't just give me somewhere to belong.

It gave me my life back.

And that's the story I'm proud to champion!

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About the Author   Luke Stott is a member of Lancaster Round Table 180 and currently serves as Area 34 Chairman. His passion for community, connection and championing others is at the heart of everything he does.

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