Newbury Rotary Club bestows highest accolade

Champion of local Parkinson's sufferers receives fellowship

A CHAMPION of local Parkinson’s sufferers has received Newbury Rotary Club’s highest accolade.

Mary Hansford attended a club meeting thinking that she was there only to receive a cheque for £1,000 for Parkinson’s UK Newbury branch, following the club’s recent charity golf competition.

However, following the presentation, Rotary assistant district governor Gerry Cowan announced that the club was bestowing a Paul Harris Fellowship Award on Mrs Hansford.

The Paul Harris Fellowship Award is the highest honour given by a Rotary Club and was established in 1957 in recognition of its founder.

Rotarians have a tradition of honouring non-Rotarians for accomplishments that meet the major objective of Rotary: ‘Service above Self.’

The award of a Paul Harris Fellowship recognises the enormous service and dedication of an individual.

Mrs Hansford, who recently retired, established an informal support group in 1980 for people affected by Parkinson’s and the local branch was formally inaugurated in 1981.

Over the following decades, Mrs Hansford has fulfilled many roles in the group, including welfare officer, treasurer and secretary.

The local branch now has 200 members and thousands of Parkinson’s sufferers have benefitted from Mrs Hansford’s commitment and work since its formation.

It is estimated that she has helped to raise more than £400,000 by her tireless efforts, including organising activities such as coffee mornings, store collections, bric-a-brac sales and more.

Mr Cowan said: “In recognition of Mary’s unstinting work, we Rotarians are delighted that Newbury Rotary Club have rewarded her and made her a Paul Harris Fellow.”

Mrs Hansford said: “Receiving the Paul Harris Award is certainly a shock and surprise, but I’m honoured that my name was nominated by the Newbury Rotarians for my voluntary work with Parkinson’s UK Newbury and District Branch over 25 years, so thank you one-and-all for your kind words and congratulations.

“My husband had Parkinson’s for 22 years and, in the 1980s, the nearest branch was Reading, so I enquired about starting a branch in Newbury and with the support of many members over the years, I have enjoyed all I have been able to do to help people with Parkinson’s, and I am pleased to say the branch is still going strong and will continue for many years until a cure is found.”