Awards Evening

At the last meeting before the presidential handover, the Rotary Club of South Queensferry held an awards evening to pay tribute to local people who had made a significant contribution to the community. Before presenting the awards, President Sandy Mackenzie had the enjoyable task of inducting Pat Simpson to the club. Introducing Pat, Past President Graham Leith said that Pat had qualified as a solicitor and practised in Rothesay before moving to Paris for twenty-five years. She was also a skilled linguist, specialising in Italian and now learning Spanish. Returning to Scotland on the death of her husband, Pat now lived in Queensferry.

President Sandy went on to present a Community Award to David Garner. In his citation for  David's award, Rotarian Gordon Wood said that as a founding member of the GreenFerry environmental group, and a founder and active supporter of the Friends of Ferry Glen and Back Braes team, David, in his quiet way, had greatly improved the Queensferry environment. In addition David and his wife Jennifer took part in community litter picks and regularly volunteered at the local Food Bank based at The Priory Church. David Garner thanked the club for the award and said as he had lived in Queensferry for forty years, he was glad to be able to give a little back to the community.

In the citation for the next Community Award which went to Juliette Lee, President Sandy said that by founding the GreenFerry Trust and leading the project to transform a derelict site in the historic centre of Queensferry into a garden and play area for the benefit of residents and visitors alike, Juliette had brought new life to a run-down and neglected area. Though most of the main work was complete, further enhancement including the erection of a mosaic built by local people, was planned. In thanking the club for her award, Juliette said that she had recently stepped down as chair of GreenFerry Trust due to business commitments. She was grateful for the support of the Rotary Club and the local community and was surprised to discover how much work such a project entailed.

Both David Garner and Juliette Lee were nominated by Past President Neil McKinlay who was unable to attend owing to other Rotary commitments.

TOP ROTARY HONOUR GOES TO SEA CADET CO

The Paul Harris Fellowship, one of Rotary's highest honours, can be awarded to non-Rotarians who have rendered significant service to the community. By contributing $1,000 to Rotary Foundation, a club may nominate a deserving recipient and this year the Rotary Club of South Queensferry was delighted to honour Lieutenant (SCC) Colin Butcher - commanding officer of the Sea Cadet unit based at Port Edgar, Queensferry. In reading the citation on behalf of Past President Neil McKinlay, Rotarian Grainger Falconer said that following the premature end of his naval career due to ill-health incurred whilst on service, Colin devoted himself to running the Sea Cadet unit in Rosyth. In 2005 he took over command of the Port Edgar unit which had dwindled to only six cadets. With a new team of officers, Colin rapidly built numbers to the current total of forty-four Sea Cadets. He also formed a new Royal Marines unit currently with sixteen members. For the past twelve years, the unit has received the prestigious Burgee Award, given only to the top 25% of the 425 Sea Cadet units across the UK. Colin is now well advanced with his plans to  create a modern extension to the premises at Port Edgar which will enable the unit to increase its numbers to one hundred.