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Past Club President Chris Kraushar joined with representatives of other service organisations in the City yesterday to lay a wreath in remembrance of the service and sacrifice of the Fallen at the Civic Drumhead Service of Remembrance which took place at Wolverhampton Cenotaph
The Club works closely with the Perton detachment of the Army Cadet Force and it was great to see the Cadets on parade in support of the Service
Photo credits – Wolverhampton Today
We’re remembering England World Cup legend Gordon Banks as his funeral takes place today.
Gordon was good enough to support a number of the Club’s fundraising events and in 2016 joined us for a dinner at Molineux celebrating the 50th Anniversary of that great World Cup win in 1966 and which raised funds in aid of former Wolverhampton Wanderers FC keeper Bert Williams’ Alzheimer’s Appeal and other Rotary charities.
The event was one of Gordon’s first public appearances after revealing that he was once again fighting renal cancer and the way in which he continued to support others whilst fighting the disease was a mark of the character of the man.
We’re remembering one of the best this weekend.
Club member and committed Rotarian David Cave sadly passed away last year. David was a two time recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship – most recently in 2013 for his service to the community through Rotary and especially his work with the Wolverhampton Youth Orchestras.
David was a talented industrial and commercial photographer and his photographs recording life in the West Midlands frequently featured in the Express & Star, and other city and national publications.
We’ve joined with the Wolverhampton Photographic Society to honour Davids memory with award of a prize and trophy for the annual Wolverhampton Young Photographer competition. The winner will be announced on Monday but you can see this years entries on the theme of ‘Urban Landscape’ this Saturday between 11am and 2pm at The Viner Gallery, Merridale Lane WV3 9RB – near the junction of Merridale Road next to the school fields.
We are saddened to announce the death of founder member David Cave on Thursday 23rd March 2017 at the age of 77. Last year he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease but he carried on working and attending Rotary until last Christmas. The courage with which he faced this terrible disease was an inspiration to us all. His funeral was held on Thursday 13 April followed by a memorial service at St. Chads church Pattingham, attended by 270 friends, family, Rotarians and members of Inner Wheel.
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| David Cave (right) receiving the Malcolm Bason award in 2012 |
He was an industrial and commercial photographer specialising in industrial and architectural photography including documenting the glass industry in Brierley Hill. He travelled the world for companies such as British steel/Corus/Tata, Hotpoint, Cannon and Creda. His photographs recording life in the West Midlands frequently featured in the Express and Star and other local and national publications. He was the official photographer for the visit of Princess Diana to Royal Brierley Crystal works.
David’s photographs at virtually every important event in the History of Tettenhall Rotary Club and for District 1210 are a tangible, lasting testament to the enormous contribution he made to the life of Rotary ever since he joined as a founder member in 1981. Rarely in the limelight himself, he was always on hand to capture the moment for those who were. For many years he photographed Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra for its annual pre tour concert brochure and numerous GSE teams and other District 1210 events. His commitment to the Rotary Foundation was significant. In 2001 he was so moved by a presentation about the charity Sense International which helps children in India who are both blind and deaf that he undertook a Himalayan trek and raised over £4600. He was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship in 2001 and Sapphire award in 2013.
His kindness, compassion, generosity, loyalty, sense of humour, sound judgement, steadfast morality and strong sense of right and wrong were very special. His life epitomised the Rotary 4 way test and its motto ‘service above self’. Add to those the courage with which he faced the last year of his life, we have lost an exceptional Rotarian. Our thoughts and prayers are with wife, Lynne, their daughters Elizabeth and Kathryn, brother Malcolm and sister Anne.
Remembrance Day has been observed since the end of the First World War and today President Ian together with Club members Ivan Hill and Brian Tranter joined the Mayor of Wolverhampton, service men and women and representatives of ex service and civic societies to pay our respects to the fallen by the laying of wreaths of poppies at the City’s War Memorial.
Attendance at the City Service of Remembrance grows each year – an opportunity for us to contemplate and to recognise the sacrifice of those who fought for our freedom during the two World Wars and those who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts.
In Flanders’ Fields
In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ Fields.
John McCrae
The passing of former Club President John Lochhead has come as a shock to all of us at the Club.
An accountant by profession John built a successful local accountancy practice in Wombourne, which is now carried on by his sons Andrew and Chris, in addition to his other business interests.
Known for being competitive but always level headed John could always be relied upon to get the job done.
Locally born but fiercely proud of his Scottish heritage it was so appropriate that Flower of Scotland was played as Club members gathered with friends and family today at a service of thanksgiving for John’s life in order to pay our final respects.
John will be greatly missed by all of us and our thoughts are with John’s wife Mary and her family.
Its been a sad time for Club members as we mourn the passing of former President David Earp who was taken from us in July at the age of only 67.
David served as Club President during 2008-2009. A gentle man with a great sense of humour and a very generous nature David supported many local charities in addition to his involvement with the Club.
His illness meant that he had been unable to continue as a full member of the Club and it was a mark of the high regard in which he was held by the Club members that the contribution which he had made to the development of the Club was recognised by the award of Honorary membership.
We will all miss David and our thoughts are with his wife Pat and their sons Alex and Simon at this time.
Rotary is built on the ideal of ‘service above self’ and in recognition of the selfless sacrifice made by former and current generations in furtherance of that ideal Vice President Ian Rigby today joined with President of Tettenhall Inner Wheel Club Lynn Cave, the President of Wolverhampton Inner Wheel Club Eileen Gosling, President Richard Green of the Rotary Club of Wolverhampton and President Chris Barry of the Rotary Club of Wolverhampton St George’s and with representatives of other service organisations from around the City to pay our respects to the fallen at the Civic Service for Remembrance Sunday.
Following the observance of a two minute silence and a Drum Head Service in St Peters Square poppy wreaths were laid before the City’s cenotaph. There was tremendous support for the ceremony which was followed by a formal service in St Peter’s Church where the sermon was given by The Reverend (Squadron Leader) Christopher Lawrence Chaplain DCAE Cosford.
Reverend Lawrence called on his own memories of serving under fire in Kandahar and spoke of the struggle which many surviving service personnel face when returning from active service to cope with their memories of conflict and of the importance of their being given the time and support to allow them to work out the meaning of those memories and to emerge with a renewed understanding of the purpose of their life.
The Club today celebrated the life of Paul Whitehead, one of our number who has sadly passed to higher service.
As well as his membership of Tettenhall Rotary Club Paul was involved with many local societies – The Old Tettenhallian’s Club, the Old Tettenhallian’s Golfing Society, South Staffs Golf Club, Oxley Wanderers Golfing Society, Old Tettenhallian’s Rugby Club, Wolverhampton Rugby Club, Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, Tettenhall Round Table and Tettenhall 41 Club – and it was a testament to the high regard in which he was held within the area that it was standing room only for many at the Service held to celebrate his life at St Michael’s Church.
Paul will be greatly missed by all at the Club and our Fellowship the lesser for his passing.
The Club extends its condolences to Paul’s wife Sue and to all of his family.