OLGA Igummova-Lawson is not one to take the easy route.

The 46-year-old Russian is set to take over as President of the Rotary Club of Colchester Centurion in July - a feat she never thought would be possible when she struggled to even get a two-week tourist visa to the UK.

Born in the former Soviet Union, the businesswoman, who works in foreign translations, had set her sights on a taster trip to Britain in 2006 but when her application was denied, she had to find another way.

Later that year, she left Russia for Italy in a bid to make her application from the southern European country.

But she ended up staying there for four years, during which time she met and fell in love with her English husband, Ian Lawson.

In 2010, the pair moved to Manningtree and Olga was struck by the good community work carried out by rotary clubs, which included a present delivery by Father Christmas to children in the town.

Mrs Igummova-Lawson said: "I was saying to my neighbours 'this is great' and they mentioned it was the local rotary club, so I Googled them and found out when they met.

"I said I would wait a year and then try to get involved.

"In spring 2011, I had arranged to try two clubs, a breakfast with the Centurion club and a dinner with another club - and I never went to the dinner."

Mrs Igummova-Lawson then spent five years co-ordinating rotary at Essex University, which ironically has a partnership with

Volgograd University, which she also worked for before moving to the UK.

But in the last year other members have commented on her good work and she began to be touted as a future president.

She joked: "I think maybe on the third attempt I said 'you can stop now, I'll do it.

"But you must remember, in Russia, we are president for 12 years - are you ok with that?'"

She added: "The support I've had has been overwhelming and I'm very excited to get started."

Although Mrs Igummova-Lawson begins her tenure on July 1, she was originally marked down to start a year later.

But a change in the circumstances of this years's president-elect meant her presidency came forward one year.

Her task is now to set her own fundraising priorities for the coming year but she has made it clear her preference is to support local charities: "For me, charity starts at home, so I want to help local causes. Personally, I would like to support someone in Colchester."

She also aims to bring the Volgograd Symphony Orchestra to Colchester to perform alongside the Colne Valley Youth Orchestra.

The Rotary Club of Colchester Centurion will mark its 15th birthday in October and has 27 members.

It meets every Wednesday for breakfast at 7am at Playgolf, in Bakers Lane.