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We've all seen them shaking tins outside of supermarkets collecting money. We've all heard of The Rotary - now it's time to find out just who they are and what they do.

They're non political and after often described as 'the mini United Nations'.

Founded in Chicago in 1905, there are more than 33,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries, with membership exceeding 1.2 million people.

What do they do?

Rotary clubs address critical issues at home and abroad, providing health care and medical supplies, clean water, food, job training, youth development and education to millions of people.

Rotary Ad for the convention

Rotary in Birmingham

The first Rotary club to be set up in Birmingham was back in 1913. Since then the city has had close ties with the organisation.

Local manufacturer Toye Kenning & Spencer based in the jewellery quarter produce Rotary lapel badges. The company has just produced its 300,000th lapel badge to coincide with the convention.

As well as producing lapel badges, the company is an official licensed supplier of Rotary gifts and regalia, and has manufactured Rotary items since 1911.

Boosting the economy

It's good for Birmingham's economy that the Rotary chose the city to celebrate its 100th anniversary convention in the city. The convention is expected to pump around £20 million into the local economy.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The Birmingham convention

The NEC will be transformed during the convention, as the focal point of the event. But there are events taking place all over the city and West Midlands.

The Lord Mayor will host a breakfast which will lead into several days of talks, workshops and demonstrations focusing on how Rotary clubs are helping to make a difference throughout the world. It's a chance to compare notes and see what they're doing well.

The convention will showcase hundreds of successful projects undertaken by Rotary members worldwide to address issues such as polio eradication, malaria, HIV/AIDS, poverty, hunger, illiteracy, pollution and the global water shortage.

Keeping the water flowing:Pic Rotary/Alyce Hensen

Key note high profile international figures coming to speak at the convention include United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mia Farrow an Actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and advocate for Dafuri war refugees, Jane Goodall, a renowned primatologist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and Tom Hendersen from Shelterbox.

While the Rotarians are in Birmingham it's a great opportunity for the West Midlands as a whole to show off some of the entertainment venues. They'll get the opportunity to see a Medieval Spectacular at Warwick Castle, be given a Night on the Town in Birmingham – visiting the Town Hall, watching The Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome and taking in a Variety Show at Symphony Hall.

Throughout the convention Rotary clubs around the West Midlands are hosting events and entertaining their guests, championing the work they've been doing locally as well as showing their international members what the area has to offer.

Baby given polio vaccine: Pic Rotary/Alyce Hensen

Rotarians in action

Often the work done by the Rotary goes unrecognised – from UK projects such as providing days out for children to funding wheelchairs for those who need but can't afford them.

Besides raising funds for hundreds of projects, one of the Rotary's big campaigns is for immunisation. They have helped immunise nearly two billion children during mass immunisation campaigns throughout the world so far.

Education is also a key element to the Rotary's work. They "strives to promote peace through education".

In an effort to educate peacemakers and ambassadors of the future, each year they sponsor students to study courses including International Studies in peace and conflict resolution.

Students are chosen from many different countries from an array of professional and cultural backgrounds.

International students

The interests and areas of expertise of students include public health, education, international law, economic development, journalism, and social justice.

There are also around 1,000 scholarships awarded annually to university students around the world to study in another country. These students serve as goodwill ambassadors for the Rotary.

Rotary Foundation Chair Jonathan Majiyagbe "It is this growing network of peacemakers worldwide that makes us (the Rotary) believe that peace is possible".

• The 100th Rotary International Convention takes place in Birmingham from 18-24 June '09.

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