A SOCIAL and fundraising club for 18 to 30 year olds is on the brink of collapse if new members cannot be found.

Rotaract, the junior section of Skipton's thriving Rotary Club, has only four active members who feel they can only shoulder the burden of so much fundraising alone.

Member Suzanne Charlton said there were two strands to the group and it needed to encourage new members by raising its profile.

The group is open to young men and women who are committed to serving the community and committed to having a good time.

Members regularly meet socially for pub-crawls, pub quizzes, ice-skating and trips to the cinema, and are invited to official functions like charity and charter dinners.

Last year's programme also included a wine tasting evening, barn dance, greyhound racing and car washing.

Rotaract's second role is to organise events to raise money for charities and members choose beneficiaries that are close to members' hearts.

Suzanne said Rotaract was a fun group where young people could make new friends and do something for the community at the same time.

Any small fundraising groups struggling for support could bring their own charity ideas to the group.

She thought that their numbers had suffered because young people were not joining clubs anymore.

They have more commitments than ever, were unable to make meetings and high-powered jobs meant younger people were working longer hours and were prepared to commute to other towns and cities.

About six years ago the group had approximately 20 active members.

"Every Rotaract group in the country is suffering. But we want to recruit people and encourage them to stay," said Suzanne, who has been a Skipton member for 18 months.

The depleted group is drawing up a programme of activities for September so that prospective members can see the time table beforehand and plan their time.

They have already spoken to employees at Skipton Building Society in the hope of attracting interest there.

Rotaract meets formally every second and fourth Wednesday of the month in the Royal Shepherd pub, Skipton, for a short meeting over a drink at 8pm. Here they arrange forthcoming social and fundraising events.

The group's next fundraising event will make everyone's money go that little bit further.

Members are urging local people to take their loose change to Morrisons, Skipton, on Sunday so they can lay a mile of coins through the grounds.

All the money collected will be donated to Marie Curie Cancer Care - Morrisons' charity for the year.

Anyone who wants to help but who can't make it on Sunday can drop off their coins at David Goldie's shop on Skipton High Street and it will be collected before the event.

Anyone who would like to join or find out more about Rotaract can contact president Mary Ackroyd on 01535 652898, or just turn up without obligation to one of the meetings.