Community Award for Roy Finney

Every year our Club has the chance to present a Community Service Award to a Rotarian or a member of the public to recognise someone who has done something extraordinary by going above and beyond everyone's expectations.  This year we did not have to look far because our own Club member, Roy Finney, who joined us only 18 months ago, was clearly someone who deserved such recognition.

In making the presentation, President Katy Harris said "Roy has been a large presence from a charity perspective around Farnborough communities for many years.  His passion for cricket and ensuring that it is accessible to all has led him to personally sponsoring or raising money for young people to pay their fees to the value of over £1,000.  He was also pivotal in securing business sponsorship and operational guidance to Hampshire cricket to ensure that two academy teams were able to tour India and South Africa respectively.  Roy's passion for cricket didn't stop there; he has been a key pillar of fundraising for Cove Cricket Club for over 20 years, bringing in £25,000 in that time to ensure that cricket is played within Rushmoor.  He has also assisted local kids in other sports by personally sponsoring their living expenses at various academies, including Jed Wallace who now plays first team football for Championship League team, West Bromwich Albion.

In more recent times, Roy, inspired by the loss of his young niece Natasha, who was one of England's & Hampshire's pioneers for Ladies cricket, to cancer at the age of 29, has been fundraising for TYAC (Teenage & Young Adults Cancer Unit) in Guildford.  Roy has supported and led many events including two cricket days, race nights, auctions, sponsored walks, Christmas collections and much more.  Roy and his group have raised over £45,000 for TYAC in this time.

Well done Roy, the Award is very well deserved!