AWARD: Recognising Lilian's work

The highest award the Rotary Club can give to someone who has done good in the community is a Paul Harris Fellowship.

I would like to thank Alnwick Rotary Club for recognising my wife Lilian for her good works.

Her many voluntary roles have included for years the leader of a troop of Bluebells/Rainbows (for children before the age of Brownies), a volunteer with MG (now called Myaware), Cancer Care and the Sue Ryder shop, and now with an Age UK day centre, as well as a back-up volunteer with the Alnwick Stroke Club and a supporter of Abbeyfield Extra Care Home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lilian’s hobbies are around craftware, and over the years she has produced greetings cards which she has sold to friends and relatives, with all the money going to charity.

In the last 15 to 18 years, she has given £3,000 to charities, a children’s cancer ward, the Great North Air Ambulance Service, Alnwick Stroke Club, and last year to Macmillan Cancer Care Support.

At present, Lilian is making Christmas cards for a friend using the friend’s favourite cards she received in December.

This reminds me of when we lived in Scotland and the local newspaper ran the story of Lilian making greetings-card hangers out of ribbon and old Christmas cards.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The story was picked up nationally and the result was hundreds of parcels containing old Christmas cards started to arrive from all over Scotland.

The postman would leave sacks full of parcels in our garage. The parcels cost their sender up to £6 in postage, whereas Lilian would only get £1 for a card hanger.

Many of the parcels contained letters saying people loathed to throw out the cards and were pleased Lilian could use them. Lilian wrote a thank-you (without email) to all who wrote.

Thanks again to Alnwick Rotary for Lilian’s Paul Harris Award.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We don’t need any old Christmas cards, but Lilian would be pleased to sell you some greetings cards. All the money you give her will go towards the next £1,000, which will go to HospiceCare North Northumberland.

George Stokoe,

Alnwick