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ROTARY
CLUB OF CHESTER - LE - STREET
Reg Charity No: 1032495 |
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Rotary
North East (District 1030)
Rotary District 1030 - No: 18838. |
List of all members | |
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Brian Corker PHF Brian is a retired BBC TV Engineer and a keen 'Radio Ham'. A Chester-le-Street man through and through, Brian joined BBC on leaving Chester-le-Street Grammar School, where he was recruited as “Engineer Designate “in 1959. He worked at Dickenson Road BBC Studios and with the Outside Broadcasting Unit, Manchester. In 1960 he was moved to the newly opened BBC News Studio, Newcastle upon Tyne. In the following years Brian was instrumental in solving various Television Operational and System problems, which resulted in the BBC having a number of Technical Suggestions and Patents credited. After successfully taking the BBC's internal examinations, Brian qualified as a C. Eng. In 1969 Brian was appointed Assistant Lecturer and later Lecturer to the BBC Engineering Training Department, Woodnorton, Evesham, Worcestershire. At that time, Woodnorton was the only Broadcast Engineering Training College in the World; and he did a lot of lecturing in the 1970’s and 1980’s on Engineering and Operations. During this period of his career Brian was also seconded periodically to the Technical Investigation Unit at Television Centre. Brian's broadcasting career also involved the Reorganisation of the Receiving Unit for Overseas Broadcasting on Ascension Island, Public Relations with the BBC Engineering Information Dept. and the introduction of Television Broadcasting for the Sultan of Brunei in Borneo. In 1985 because of seniority, regular medical assessments were carried out in London, when he subsequently experienced early closure of his contract and was offered early retirement. Subsequently Brian's expertise was employed after the formation of a Technical Support Company for TV Advertising Facility Houses and Studios. He was also invited to Lecture at New College, Durham, on mathematics, advanced mathematics, electronics, micro electronics, computing and power distribution engineering. All this came to an end in 1991, following
a Hit & Run traffic incident; that sentenced Brian to a wheelchair
for several years. However every cloud has a silver lining and Brian is
thankful, for life with his wife Jean, and also as a Rotarian in helping
him regain quality of life. |
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Colin Crozier |
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Bill Holden PHF - Chair
of Club Foundation. On Saturday, 3rd May 2014, he was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship. Bill is also a member of Northumbria Branch of the Royal Society of St George. |
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Jim Lawrence PHF. Jim Lawrence was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF) for his charitable work. Jim was again Club President during the rotary year 2009 - 2010. On Friday 3rd July 2015, Jim Lawrence was
inducted as Club President for rotary year 2015 - 2016, his third time
in office. |
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Derick Lawson ![]() Derick is a retired teacher having taught initially at St Edmund Campion (now Cardinal Hume) in Wrekenton for 8+years and then at Newcastle Royal Grammar School for 26 years as a Chemistry Teacher, and for part of the time as Head of IT. Whilst working at Proctor & Gamble he became involved with 13th Gateshead Scouts (which led to him becoming a teacher). He was Assistant Scout leader, then Scout and Assistant District Commissioner for Leader Training. At the same time as changing schools he transferred to being a Boys’ Brigade Leader as his church in Chester-le-Street, a role he continues with as the Captain of the Company. Whilst at the RGS as a Lt(RNR) CCF he was also the O-i-C of the Naval Section of the Combined Cadet Force for which he received the CCF Service Medal. |
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David Lindley PHF
David was election Club President for the rotary year 2018-2019. David was honoured by Rotary before he actually became a Rotarian, by being awarded with the Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF) for services to the community. (The PHF Award is Rotary's highest honour for 'Service Before Self'
and can be awarded to non-Rotarians for work in areas where they distinguish
themselves). David received his PHF for Community Involvement in the following areas of concern: • Initially a voluntary worker at Houghton-le-Spring YMCA. • 1963-1967 Part-Time Youth Leader of Peterlee Boys Club (N.A.B.C.). • 1967 -1968 Appointed Part-Time Community Centre Warden/ Manager at Durham Community Association. • 1968/69 he was appointed Full Time Community Centre Warden Manager/Secretary at Durham Community Association until retirement in 2002.; was an Area Team Member and during his full time working career David acquired numerous essential academic qualifications • Durham Community Association: Shakespeare Hall in North Road Durham City is a vibrant very busy Community Association offering a diverse range of Activities to people of a Ages: Culture and Gender operating 7 days per week. • David was involved in working in the Local Community: Managing Staff: Health and Safety Etc; Fund Raising: Secretary to the Management Committee-I work with and for people. Working and involved in the local community. • Since retirement in 2002 to the present time David has been voluntarily committed to Durham Community Association as the Centre Manager and Hon Secretary to the Management Committee-hence the reason he was awarded the PHF. • Currently he is a Forum Member of the Durham Area Action Partnership
and also a member of the Task Finishing Group-meeting monthly in Durham
Town Hall. |
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George Nattrass |
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Francis Phillips |
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Fred Richards PHF.. Fred was Secretary of the Rotary Club of Chester-le-Street for the two years prior to Fri 30 June 2107, when he stood down. Fred Richards is a retired Businessman, having been a successful and well known Florist in the town for many years. |
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John Stewart - Chair
of Community & Vocational Service/PRO. . |
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Brian J. Straughan:
Past-President & Club Secretary. On Friday, 30th June 2017, Brian stood-down
as Club President, after as very successful year in office, and has moved
side-ways to be Club Secretary, where his expertise will be greatly appreciated. Established in 1994, as Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors,
with practices in Chester-le-Street and Stanley, Co Durham, they competently
handle a vast range of tasks and models, from personal tax matters to
a whole company’s payroll, as experts in general accounting, tax compliance
and bookkeeping. Brian is also a member of Northumbria Branch of The Royal Society of St George. |
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John Tootill -
President. On Friday, 4th July 2014, John was inducted as Club President for the rotary year 2014-2015. Since then was the Organiser of the Club's 90th Anniversary Charter & President Kevin Jobson's President's Night on Friday, 25th May 2018. John is also a member and Events Secretary of Northumbria Branch of The Royal Society of St George. |
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Tom Vout PHF
- Club Auditor. |
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Linda Watson PHF - Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Chester-le-Street.
Rotarian Linda Watson became the first lady member of The Rotary Club of Chester-Le-Street on Friday 9th January 2009, and was President of the Rotary Club of Chester-le-Street for the rotary year 2012-2013.. On Friday,5th July 2019, she was inducted for the second time as President of the Rotary Club of Chester-le-Street for the rotary year 2019-2020..
Linda is a retired Teacher and has been and still is, after many years, the Producer/Director of the well respected amateur theatre/drama group 'Youth Connection' Theatre Company, a local charity. For her dedication to drama and theatre, within the local community, nationally and internationally, she was awarded by Rotary a Paul Harris Fellowship; the highest award in Rotary. On Friday, 1st March 2013, Councillor Linda Marshall JP, Chair Durham County Council (DCC), awarded Linda Watson the Chairman's Medal, for services over many years, and several generations of school children, to education & drama for the benefit of young people within the Chester-le-Street community. The Chairman's Medal is the highest honour Durham County Council can award any of its citizens. |
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'SERVICE BEFORE SELF'
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