THERE was double delight as two top accolades were presented to community and charity stalwarts by Oldham Metro Rotary Club.
The Paul Harris Fellowship, which is named after the organisation’s founder, is granted in recognition of service and commitment to the club and its causes.
Trevor Fielding was presented the award by club president Garvin Crabtree while Dovestone Women’s Institute’s award was received by president Jessica Moreland and secretary Janet Mills.
Trevor, a founding member of the club, was born in Bolton and attended Bolton County Grammar School before joining National Westminster Bank.
He quickly rose to be senior tutor at the bank’s college in the Cotswolds, where he also became captain of their golf club.
He was transferred to NatWest in Oldham, and after became Regional Marketing Manager at the Bolton bank with further progress to Chief Manager of the Bolton and Bury Business Centre.
After retiring, Trevor was working for a firm of solicitors in Bolton and then for a firm in Oldham – he still works two days per week.
Alongside his work and family commitments, Trevor was treasurer to Bolton Grammar Old Boys Golf Society, continues as treasurer for Mount Pleasant Mission Church, was prominent in an organisational capacity with Crimestoppers Trust and served on the management committee for Bolton Lads Club.
He has run five marathons and more than forty half marathons for charity and recently undertook circuits of Hollingworth Lake totalling 12 miles in support of The Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Trevor was a founder member of Oldham Metro Rotary Club, was President in 1991, Treasurer from 1983-85 and then for 11 years from 2004-14; he organised the Craft Fair with Brian Fort in 2001-03. He was Chair of the International Committee in 1987 and 2019 and Community Service Chair for in years 1997 and 2001.
Meanwhile, Dovestone WI was recognised for its extensive work across the community, particularly during the pandemic, despite only being founded in April 2019.
Headed up by Jess Moreland, members are actively involved with local groups and charities, including Andy’s Man Club (raising awareness for men’s mental health), M.A.S.H (Manchester Action for Street Health) and Oldham Mountain Rescue Team.
They created the Countryside Safety Marshal scheme, which saw a huge team of volunteers take to the great outdoors in a bid to help protect the moorlands from fires. This initiative garnered the attention of Sir David Attenborough, who wrote to congratulate them on the scheme.
Members take part in charity events such as the Pretty Muddy 5k to raise money for Cancer Research and a sleepout to raise awareness for the homeless in Manchester.
They also hold regular fundraisers including a popular Christmas Markets event and quiz nights.
When Covid-19 hit, they sprung into action helping people who were isolating with their shopping, prescriptions, dog walking and other errands.
They distributed three tonnes of Nandos chicken, 2.5 tonnes of bacon and cheese from TGI Fridays restaurant across the community, delivered 1,000 Easter Eggs to Manchester Children’s Hospital, made more than 500 ‘Button Ears’ for NHS staff, sourced 600 safety visors for medical clinics and nursing homes and made over 600 surgical scrub gowns for Royal Albert Infirmary in Wigan.
They launched their own ‘Turning Fabric into Food’ initiative, where more than 5,000 fabric face masks were made by members from left over bedding, raising £11,000, which was spent on food for local food banks.
And their Christmas Give a Gift project received more than 800 donated gifts which were wrapped up and delivered to struggling families across the area.
In 2021 they have been supporting Mahdlo Youth Zone with its Holiday Hunger campaign, helping to prepare and distribute hundreds of sandwiches and lunch bags to children across Oldham.
• As reported in last month’s Independent, a Paul Harris award was presented to Garvin Crabtree, who served as Oldham Metro Rotary Club president last year and is continuing for another 12 months.
He received the award for leading with ‘skill, care and generosity of his time and dedication’, especially during the Covid pandemic.
As a long-standing member of the club, he has held many positions including Community Service, Vocation and Youth as well as President in 1992/3 and 2001/02.
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