Knaresborough Rotary marks historic 60th anniversary with awards to true community heroes

Knaresborough Rotary 60th anniversary award winners - Jonathan Beer, Michelle Hayes, President Daid Kaye, Christine Willoughby, Rotary District Governor Malcolm Tagg.

Knaresborough Rotarians and guests enjoyed a celebratory 60th Charter anniversary dinner at the Pavilions of Harrogate.

President, David Kaye, welcomed guests including The Deputy Mayor of Knaresborough, Mark Flood, and consort Kendal Flood, Rotary District Governor, Malcolm Tagg, and Judith Tagg, Knaresborough Lions President, Richard Hall, and Rachael Hall and guest speaker Michelle Hayes, Founder and CEO of Resurrected Bites.

In January 1962, letters were written to local businessmen inviting them to a lunchtime meeting on the 5th February at the Harlequin Café, Knaresborough, to discuss the possible formation of a Rotary Club for the town

The 26 founder members were all male and worked in the town. Twenty-one ran their own businesses and the others were professionals such as Bank Manager, Headmaster and Council Officials.

Knaresborough Rotary marked the occasion of its 60th anniversary with the award of Paul Harris Fellowships.

Introducing the awards, Brian Souter, Secretary of Knaresborough Rotary, said they were named after the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris and are awarded to those who make outstanding contributions to humanity.

The first recipient, Michelle Hayes, established Resurrected Bites in 2018 as a ‘pay-as-you-feel’ community café.

By March 2020, it was running three weekly cafés across the distric

The first recipient, Michelle Hayes, established Resurrected Bites in 2018 as a ‘pay-as-you-feel’ community café. By March 2020, it was running three weekly cafés across the district.

The second recipient, Christine Willoughby, has served Knaresborough in several capacities, as Mayor and Councillor, as school Governor and as Chairperson of Knaresborough in Bloom.

The third Paul Harris Fellowship was awarded to Jonathan Beer, a Rotarian for 37 years, having first joined Rotary in Kings Lynn in 1985.

During the pandemic he was the main organiser of Knaresborough Rotary’s project supporting local charity Dementia Forward with the supply of Robotic Cats.

Among Knaresborough Rotary’s many good works is supporting food banks in the town, both financially and physically.

If you would like to join them, visit www.knaresborough.rotary1040.org