General election candidate among two recognised by Rotary Club award in Midhurst

Two members of the community – Alain Mardle and House of general election candidate Jessica Brown-Fuller – were awarded Paul Harris Fellowship certificates for their services to Midhurst and beyond.

According to the Midhurst branch of the Rotary Club, “The certificate is awarded on merit after a carefully considered selection by the Club,” and goes out to “particular individuals who render consistent but unacclaimed service to the local community.”

The certificate is awarded at every level of the Rotary Club, and fellow recipients include US presidents like Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, as well as humanitarian figures like Mother Theresa.

Describing this year’s recipient, Alain Mardle, John Maguire, president of the Midhurst and Petworth Rotary Club, said: “Alain is a very modest person whose prime concern is the welfare of the less fortunate in our district. He more than meets the criteria for Rotary’s most prestigious honour for ‘service above self.’”

Alain leads, volunteers and works with the Midhurst Green Volunteers, which meets twice a week to help keep the area clean, tidy and presentable. With an impressive inventory of hand tools, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, strimmers and leaf blowers, they have contributed more than 4,300 man hours across 350 sessions to help keep Midhurst beautiful.

Jessica Brown-Fuller, this year’s second recipient, has worked similarly hard across a range of volunteer-led groups throughout Midhurst and Petworth. Rotary Club president John Maguire praised her for her ‘behind the scenes' work for a range of causes, including Madhurst, the Midhurst Choir, the town foodbank and via the Liberal Democrats. Alongside all that, and raising two children, Jessica Brown-Fuller also serves on Midhurst Town Council, as a ward representative for Chichester District Council, where she is a cabinet member for Culture and Events, and has set her sights on the House of Commons, launching a campaign for the Chichester constituency seat ahead of the General Election.

To find out more about the Midhurst Rotary Club, which dates back to 1964 and meets once a month at the Cowdray Park Golf Club, in Easebourne, visit mandprotary.club