EULOGY for PAUL HUNTER
8th February 2024
Paul was a Rotarian for over 40years.
Rotary is a world-wide, non political, non sectarian Service Organisation and our motto is ‘Service above Self’.
I think that throughout his membership Paul’s dedication to that ideal reached a very high standard.
Paul joined Rotary in High Wycombe whilst he was still a serving Police Officer.
He Joined Ferndown Club, as it was called then, in 2001, having just retired to Dorset.
In 2004/5 he was elected President and the following year he took the Chair of our Membership Committee, a position he held almost permanently thereafter.
Indeed Paul’s outstanding legacy for the Club has been his enthusiasm for Recruitment and his ability to mentor and nurture new members in their early months.
There have been two separate periods when almost single-handedly he found new members when the Club was at a low ebb.
Paul was also a keen advocate of our Twinning activities and travelled several times when we visited our twin club, Dublin North.
In 2015 Paul brought together all his professional and Rotary contacts to mastermind ‘The Dorset Rotary Police Community Awards’ competition
The idea was for Rotary Clubs to canvass local communities, in partnership with their local constabulary to find the most successful policeman, not for their number of arrests, but who were deemed to have been most influential in improving harmony in troublesome areas.
Paul persuaded Sarah Farmer at BBC TV to M.C. at the Finals in April 2015. This was a notable coup and it has proved a valuable contact which has continued to thrive after Sarah agreed to become an Hon Member of our club.
Following the success of the venture, Paul was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, a prestigious Rotary award for outstanding Service.
With family in Australia , Jean & Paul have been able to spend time there during our Winter months, and, as a true Rotarian, Paul was not idle but attended the Ipswich Rotary Club and was soon made an Honorary Member for his services in their Barbecue Team at fund – raising events!
In a message received from them, Rtn.Don Barney said the Aussies had known him since 2002 and called him ‘Pommy Paul’! They too referred to his passion for Membership among their members.
They also paid tribute to the generosity and help he and Jean had offered when they visited England, and when the ANZAC committee travelled to visit cemeteries in Belgium & France Paul personally drove them round.
Since being diagnosed Paul has displayed admirable courage and bravery. He has hardly missed a meeting and was tin-rattling at our pre – Xmas collections as usual. He could be relied on to volunteer whatever the event, always loyally and cheerfully supported by Jean.
In Jean’s own words ‘ he loved every minute of Rotary and was always thinking how he could help to spread its influence.’
Above all, Paul was a man of Faith and I believe that in Rotary he was able to fulfil a life of service in the community that enabled him to obey the higher Commandment that we ‘Love our Neighbour’ .
Paul was a Good Man and he was a splendid Rotarian.
At Ferndown & Parley Club his presence and influence will be sorely missed.