story by: DAVE KING

A number of Rotarians were honoured in the King’s Birthday Honours List which ​was announced last month.

Shropshire Rotarian, Robyn Davies, said she was left “speechless” after being ​told she would be receiving an MBE for her work with young people and the ​community.

Robyn, a member of the Telford-based Wrekin Rotary Club, said she had received ​an official letter about the award but had kept it a secret from everyone but her ​husband, Trevor.

She told the Shropshire Star: “I was speechless when I got the letter five weeks ​ago. It has been very difficult to keep it quiet, especially when my sister picks up ​the phone.” However, she said she would be raising a glass of champagne with ​friends in Dolgellau when could tell them of her news.

A former District Governor, Robyn has played a key part in the Rotary Youth ​Leadership Award scheme which mentors young people in a variety of ​disciplines. An accomplished musician herself, she has also been actively ​involved with the organisation of the Rotary Young Musician competition, as well ​as other Rotary youth competitions.

Robyn is musical director of the Hadley & District Male Orpheus Choir which ​raises thousands of pounds each year for charities such as Blood Bikes and the ​Jayne Sargent Foundation.

She said: “I realise the importance of giving young people the opportunities that ​we can through competition, through support and through sponsoring.

“It’s gone beyond the music now. It involves all different arts and sport and ​leadership and everything else – it’s great to be involved.”

Explaining RYLA to the Shropshire Star readers, Robyn explained: “The leadership ​project takes place in August when we look to find young people who are ​possibly going to be leaders and we put them on a five-day course leading teams.

“These young people aged 16-17 are our potential leaders of tomorrow. ​Leadership in the community is particularly important and it is very rewarding ​work, but it is not just me, there is a team of people.”

Outside of Rotary, Robyn has been a member of the Salvation Army for 20 years ​working with the homeless and vulnerable in the Telford area and spends most ​Christmases serving dinner to those who are isolated and without a home to go ​to.

Also in Shropshire, Robert Davies from Bridgnorth Rotary Club has been ​awarded the British Empire Medal.

He is chiefly noted for being a founder member of the Bridgnorth Walk, a 22-mile ​walk which has gained in popularity over the past 55 years raising thousands of ​pounds for charity.

Robert told the Shropshire Star: “I was born in Bridgnorth and I have a lot of ​affection for it so over the years I got involved with things I was passionate about.

“The Bridgnorth Walk started when the local curate wanted to arrange a walk to ​Shropshire’s highest peak, which is Clee Hill. He asked me to go along and we ​formed a committee. I remember the first event raised about £1,200, but it has ​now gone on over the years and raises a hundred thousand pounds a year.”

Robert Davies, Rosalind Richardson and Alan Blake have all been recognised in the 2024 King’s ​Honours List.

Robert joined Bridgnorth Rotary Club in the 1990s which organises a number of ​annual events such as the Town Steps Walk, the Classic Car Run, and provides a ​‘Tree of Thought’ Christmas tree in Bridgnorth High Street which raises funds for ​Macmillan Cancer Support.

Besides Rotary, Robert has been a volunteer trustee for the Bridgnorth Housing ​Trust for the past 39 years, serving as chairman for 36.

He admitted it was a surprise to receive news of the award. He said: “It has been ​incredibly difficult to keep it quiet over the last few weeks. But I must ​acknowledge my friends and colleagues at the different organisations and ​committees I have been on over the years, including my fellow trustees at the ​Bridgnorth Housing Trust.

“As always with these honours, it is a team effort and I feel I have taken one for ​the team.”

Alan Blake from Hereford Rotary Club has been awarded a British Empire Medal ​for his services to the community in Herefordshire. A member of the club since ​1968, Alan has raised thousands of pounds for a number of charities.

In 2020, inspired by the charity walks by another Rotarian, Captain Sir Tom ​Moore, Alan, who is now 92, began his Everest Climb. He has currently climbed ​72,000 of the steep steps from his Hereford garden with the aim of completing ​100,000.

In doing so, Alan has raised over £22,000 for three causes including the Rotary ​club, his Parish Church and for those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease.

Rosalind Richardson from Burford and Kingham Rotary Club in Oxfordshire has ​been awarded an MBE. Rosalind has worked as a counsellor in the House of ​Lords for the past 20 years and was selected for “services to Parliament”.

Rosalind, from Chipping Norton, previously worked as a GP in Oxfordshire and ​Hertfordshire. She is a Companion of the Institute of Welfare and a Fellow of the ​Society of Bereavement Practitioners.

She told the Witney Gazette: “I am passionate that counselling should be ​available for all and how positively it can change lives.”

In Northern Ireland, Donaghadee Rotary Club were celebrating with the news ​that honorary member, John Caldwell, received a British Empire Medal for ​services to the community in the County Down town.

Rotarian John Hennessy described John as “a real powerhouse in completing ​grant applications, getting funding for local projects and getting people on board ​to complete these projects”.

He added: “One example is the amazing growth of the Donaghadee Summer ​Festival. He’s even had the Bay City Rollers over to provide a free concert for the ​town, and last year instigated the Ulster Fry World Championships, as a fun way ​to celebrate our delicious local produce.

“He secured funding for a marine litter project, which enabled each of the four ​local schools to take responsibility for a section of the coastline, keeping it clean ​and monitoring the water.”

John Caldwell received a Rotary community service award in 2013 and has been ​an honorary member since 2021.

If we have missed any Rotarian honoured in the King’s Birthday Honours List, ​please email: editor@rotarygbi.org