Norma Ross who retires as Director of Income Generation at Severn Hospice in the next few weeks was in for a surprise.
Peter Seaward takes up the story, “Norma, in your first year you were responsible for raising £985,000 to keep the Hospice at Shrewsbury going for the year. Over the next 26 years you and your team have raised a grand total £155m which is a truly remarkable amount.”
“During this time, you also had to handle the very delicate issue of changing the name from ‘Shropshire and Mid Wales Hospice’ to ‘Severn Hospice’ and also find the capital monies to build Telford Hospice and the new Community Services Centre at Shrewsbury.”
Peter continued, “Fund raising has changed considerably over the last 26 years and the Hospice now has 29 shops, a very successful lottery raising almost £1 million each year and a comprehensive programme of fund raising events throughout the year.”
“The Severn Hospice is well known and respected throughout Shropshire and Mid Wales and Norma has been a major player in establishing this excellent ‘brand and credibility’ which we recognise helps ‘sell’ the Tree of Light.”
Explaining that Rotary International has a special award, a Paul Harris Fellowship, Peter went on to say that it is usually given to Rotarians who have given outstanding service to Rotary and to their community. He added that it was also given to people who are not Rotarians but who have given outstanding service to the community, Norma’s work for her community is exceptional and a Paul Harris Fellowship would mark the excellence of her achievements.
District Governor Robyn Davies then presented Norma with the badge of a Paul Harris Fellow on behalf of the four Rotary Clubs that constitute the Telford Tree of Light.