Dedicated Rotarian receives prestigious award from Rotary Foundation

A past Rotary District Governor and Past President of Luton North Rotary, Paul has been awarded the Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award.

He has been a member of Luton North Rotary since 1983 and has spent much of his time as a Rotarian working with the Rotary Foundation, with its aim of ‘doing good in the world’. He was introduced to the charity just two months after joining Rotary.

Paul has improved the daily lives of many thousands of people in Luton and across the world.”

As a Group Study Exchange Team Leader, he visited Memphis and Mississippi with a team of five young men in a unique cultural and vocational exchange.

Later he visited Ghana to launch Blindness Awareness weeks in Accra and Kumasi, a project funded by the Rotary Foundation.

During the visit he was also able to present a four-wheel drive vehicle to Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs for outreach work in Koforidua, Eastern Region. It is estimated that over 150,000 people benefited from the project which covered all 10 Regions of the country at the same time. Deaf children in Uganda benefitted from another project which included training for health care workers.

Working locally, Luton North Rotary has been involved in projects led by Paul installing public access defibrillators in a number of areas in the District, which includes Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

Paul has been a member of Luton North Rotary since 1983 and has spent much of his time as a Rotarian working with the Rotary Foundation

He has also been at the forefront of introducing new technology in the cancer unit at the Luton and Dunstable hospital, providing a Fibroscanner for the Lister Hospital, and support for Keech Hospice Care during the pandemic.

Also, during the pandemic, Paul headed projects to provide oxygen equipment for parts of India, raising money quickly from his contacts around the world.

In 2020, Paul led an application for a Rotary Foundation Global Grant for the international charity Mercy Ships, the largest non-governmental hospital ships in the world.

A new ship is now coming online called the ‘Global Mercy’, and Rotary has provided $1.125million for new equipment on board. This is the largest grant sanctioned by the trustees in its 100 years’ plus history.

Paul’s other Rotary Foundation work has taken him to Sydney, California and Chicago.

When the cry went up for oxygen in India last year, he pulled together Rotarians globally and worked wonders to ensure that help was sent – and, most importantly – reached those most in need.”

During his year as District Governor, clubs raised £54,000 for the Charity Hope and Homes for Children and its work in the Ukraine, and he secured a Rotary Foundation Children’s Opportunity Grant to purchase a mini bus for Keech Hospice Care, Children’s unit.

On receiving the Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, Paul said he was “extremely honoured” the Foundation had chosen to recognise his service and he thanked them for it.

The Distinguished Service Award is the Rotary Foundation’s highest service recognition.

He acknowledged the support he has received over the years from Rotary District 1260, and his own Rotary Club Luton North and, in particular, club secretary Leslie Robertson, who always given added value to Grant Applications.

In presenting the award District Governor, Jane Mordue, said: “Paul has improved the daily lives of many thousands of people in Luton and across the world.

“They may never know who helped them but we in Rotary wanted to recognise his charitable work.  He has always risen to the occasion.

“When the cry went up for oxygen in India last year, he pulled together Rotarians globally and worked wonders to ensure that help was sent – and, most importantly – reached those most in need.”

The Rotary Foundation is a non-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programmes.

The award was made by the trustees of the Rotary Foundation.