Champion Your Story - My Round Table journey

11 minutes ago
5 min read

Hi fellow Tablers!

I’m Ross from Cheltenham 170. I formally joined RT back in January of 2023, but my first social (horse riding and curry) was back in the summer of 2022 just when CRT was finding its feet again after the lockdowns, and it was that event that changed everything for me.

However, my exposure to Round Table actually began years before…

MY EARLIEST EXPERIENCES OF RT

So, although I always have somehow rubber-banded back to my home city of Gloucester, I have spent most of my life jumping around the UK and (in my earliest years) the world.

Born in Gloucester in ‘81 (yes, I am that close to aging out!), we soon moved to South Africa (Cape Town then Jo’burg) for a few years (my RT connection back to SA came many years later…).

I returned to England around 4 years old, and then hopped around the UK for a bit, including living in Torquay, Aberdeen, and Cheltenham (all places I see have thriving Tables, and who I follow online). I attended uni in Nottingham and Bristol, then came back home to good old Glos, where I settled down working in Film and TV, then insurance sales, then (as I have for the last 15 years) as a Film and Media teacher. Got married to a lovely wife and have been father to 3 children (the two boys I hope one day shall also join RT - the 16 year old already padded our CRT team out for our inter-Table 5-a-side this previous Feb!).

My earliest experience of Table was one I hadn’t even realised at the time - visiting Gloucester RT’s brilliant fireworks display at the city docks - vague memories of seeing our rondel as we walked through the gates…

… But it was a chance encounter that brought me into the fold.

DISCOVERING WHAT RT IS ALL ABOUT

My wife, it turned out, was working with an old school friends wife of mine from Six Form - Dave.

Dave is a brilliant guy, and I had fond memories of him back in ‘99/‘00, but we had parted ways as many do at that age, and never saw each other again, until Dave kindly invited me and the family to be ‘VIP’ guests at the CRT fireworks at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Of course we jumped at the chance, and had a brilliant time as guests of RT, seeing first-hand what a Table can achieve when everyone pulls together. But I didn’t get an invitation to be a prospective yet…the next year Dave once again invited us to be VIP’s, and we again jumped at the chance. But this time I insisted I should help out with set-up (I think this was part of Dave’s cunning plan).

Again, I saw just what great, and frankly impressive, teamwork, camaraderie, and friendship the guys brought on the night. I was hooked.

A few months later a space opened up on a social - horse riding through a village in the Cotswolds - and Dave made sure I was on that horse! At the curry after, I met the guys properly - it was such a great experience of what only new mates can bring that I asked if they would consider me as a joining member right there and

then…

A couple weeks later, following their business meeting, I got the call from Dave - I was in if I wanted to be (although it did take the admin about a year to actually log me on TW, so my official joining date is well out!).

And so I was a Tabler… Or so I thought…

Then came induction - Burns Night. The less said about that the better, but let’s just say Dave was so far gone that night he famously inducted me 3 times, it’s only been recently either of us can face whiskey again! My wife is still mad about the drive home, and I’m banned from the local dry cleaners.

MY TIME IN TABLE

So, quickly I threw myself into Cheltenham Round Table. To be honest I didn’t have a choice - at my first CRT AGM I was told I was the new Social Media and PR Officer! But all was good, and I properly felt ‘one of the guys’.

My first post on behalf of CRT, however, didn’t last long, and I had to quickly take it down - apparently photos of us all at airsoft with camo gear and the rifles above our heads looked a little… Off brand.

But I quickly recalibrated, and it’s been all gravy since, for the most part.

I’ve been honoured to have been awarded by CRT ‘New Tabler of the Year, and ‘Tabler of the Year’ each year following up until I took the Chairmanship - something I really appreciate from all members both past and present (and how I learned firsthand the value of these tokens within our clubs to energise and motivate members).

I became Chair of CRT in April 2025. It faced a challenging time. Cheltenham Round Table 170 has been running since the 1940’s, and it has achieved many great things - combining Cheltenham and Cheltenham Spa into one Table, running the annual Santa Sleigh through the local area, each year running the incredible fireworks at Cheltenham Racecourse, and (by now) raising millions of pounds for local charities and good causes… But, at the start of my year, our core membership had dwindled to just 6 members.

So, the mission was on.

The short version is, we succeeded. My Brother in Law, Luke, joined us in June; we then had a great climbing social where following another 6 members joined us; then more, and more…

We’re now up to 21 members, with a further 5 honoraries (past Chairs, such as Dave, who have brought such great value to CRT over the years).

CRT is back! And it feels fantastic.

For the first time, this year I attended National Conference with my partner in crime, CRT’s new Chairman - Milan. It was outstanding.

To experience firsthand the great camaraderie and friendship across all of our organisation - RT, Ladies Circle, 41 Club, and Tangent - was just astonishing. And I know I only scratched the surface.

If I could encourage all members to do one thing, it is to go to National Conference at least just once - believe me, it is worth every penny and just brilliant.

I was honoured to have been awarded both the Social Media Award and Chairman of the Year 2025-26 (honestly, I still can’t believe it, and I am hugely humbled).

And, to bring things full-circle back to my early childhood in SA, on the final night I also joined a certain Buffalo themed RT club. My brain is now fully re-wired to use my left hand only!

We ended this most recent period with an incredible 7 new members joining us, and (what I believe is a first for CRT) a visit from our National President, Raz, who inducted these guys in a once-in-lifetime experience (and on the hottest day of the year!). I was very proud.

MY FUTURE IN RT

At time of writing I am 44, and so (officially) my days are numbered.

However… I have been given a mission to see if I can resurrect a dormant Table that is very close to my heart, and so I might still be an official member as Round Table Great Britain & Ireland sees its 100th in. Stay tuned, and maybe we’ll be welcoming some of you at Kingsholm before long…

And within the next 2 years I shall hopefully be joining Cheltenham 41 Club. I already have an agreed mission there - to bring over as many Tablers as possible along with me.

So, my work is not done yet, shall we say…