New Paul Harris Fellows for the Rotary Club of East Grinstead

Meridian Rotary Club President Bob Shaw, before handing over to Ginnie presented Paul Harris Awards to long serving members Alan Collinge and Martin Craddock. Both members are past Presidents of the club and Alan is a former East Grinstead Town Mayor and Martin is currently Chairman of the Maresfield Parish Council. Both Alan and Martin had made considerable contributions to community life in addition to Rotary.

Alan Collinge

Alan joined Meridian Rotary in 1988 and was our president in 2004 having served on all the committees in the club. Alan spent two tours of duty overseas as operations manager with the oil company Shell in Papua New Guinea and Fiji and on his last return in 2001 re-joined Meridian.

Alan continued his Rotary membership whilst in the Pacific and in addition to normal club activities most Saturday mornings he will be down on the docks helping to unload and distribute essential medical and educational supplies coming in from overseas. He also helped with the organisation for medical teams visiting the Highlands in Fiji to carry out eye surgery in local villages.

Prior to joining Rotary, he served on the East Grinstead town Council and served as the town mayor in 1984 having served on several the council's committees.

Alan has been involved in a housing association and local sports clubs and varying other community activities outside of Rotary.

Martin Craddock

Martin joined Rotary in 1985 and joined the Meridian club in 2007 and was our president in our 25th anniversary year of 2010. He currently is our treasurer and his five-year term is coming to an end this year.

He is a chartered accountant by profession mainly employed in large companies in the food industry and was a finance director with the RHM group upon his retirement. Due to many changes in his jobs and locations he has been a member of several Rotary clubs before joining Meridian one of which he was President.

He has served on the membership services committee including its chairman, and has acted as club secretary. He has served on most committees in Rotary in his previous clubs.

Martin currently is on the Maresfield Parish Council and is currently the chairman of the council having served on several of the committees including planning.

Martin has an extensive history of community service outside of Rotary having acted as a non-executive director of a housing association he was a school governor for nine years including five years as vice-chairman, board member of