A ROTARIAN has gained international recognition for his tireless efforts to make a better life for orphaned children.

David Fensom, of Cedarfield Road, Lymm, received a Paul Harris Fellowship for his work with the Rotary's shoe box appeal which sees aid distributed to poverty stricken areas of eastern Europe.

Around 170,000 shoe boxes, containing everything from food and clothes to toiletries, toys and medical supplies, have been put into the hands of needy youngsters since the start of the scheme in 1994.

And David, who has been involved since the beginning, has travelled the length and breadth of Britain collecting boxes from schools and organisations to ensure they reach their intended destinations on time. David, who joined Rotary in 1991, is hoping to travel out to Romania with the International Trust in the autumn to make another delivery in time for Christmas.

He said: "Maybe some of these kids are a little better off than they were before because of the shoe box scheme. Every charity does its best and that is what we do. It was a total surprise when I discovered I had been awarded a fellowship, but a very pleasant surprise."

John Beard, Lymm Rotary's immediate past president, added: "David's commitment to the shoe box appeal lives up to the Rotary's motto of 'service above self' and Lymm Rotary is proud of him."

Paul Harris founded the Rotary Club in Chicago 1905, and the fellowship award is the highest accolade that a Rotarian can achieve.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.