John Cooper PHF

John’s nomination is different from Geoff’s in that he has only been a member at Wellington for a few years but, in that time, has become a popular, sociable member as well as giving service in many of our activities such as judging the Young Chef competitions, cooking the Young Carers & Scouts BBQs and helping with some of our collections. Some months ago, our Rotarian Ken Whitcombe proposed to President Vic that John’s service at his previous Club (Brewood) probably warranted a nomination. Whilst President Vic didn’t disagree, he wondered why Brewood hadn’t made the award so Club Council sanctioned his making further enquiries at Brewood. Their Founder President Mike responded that their Club had only recently started awarding PHFs and the Founder President had only just received his. Despite this, Mike felt John’s service fully justified an award. Even before John had joined their Club, he was volunteering to help, he was able to arrange their Club’s International evenings at Walsall College (where he was a Senior Lecturer). After joining, he organised many fund-raising events for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a disease to which he later lost his wife and, while she was very ill, managed to organise a Club trip to Rheims. He also became Load Master at Rotary’s clean up operations after the Weston Park V Festivals where we salvaged left behind tents. Smaller ones were given by Clubs to local charities but John was responsible for the bigger ones being loaded onto huge trucks which took them away for cleaning, donation to disaster aid charities & shipment abroad. Many of us in Wellington remember John on the back of those trucks receiving our teams salvaged tents. President Mike also made the point that John had not only been their President in 2004 but had also stepped in when the Club was in danger of “folding” for lack of a President in 2012 and volunteered to do it again. Very much an example of “Service above Self” so, with Brewood support, Wellington Club agreed to proceed with John’s award. Congratulations John, well deserved!

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