A CLUB in Dursley presented awards to three community stalwarts for their service to the town.

Members of the Rotary Club of Dursley were asked to nominate people in the area for their contributions to the community as part of the group’s Community Services Programme.

Ronnie Harding, Cath Pierce and Jan Cowley were acknowledged at a recent club meeting, where president Mike Crumpton presented the trio with Community Service Awards and bouquets of flowers.

Ronnie has served as a town councillor in Dursley, worked in the town’s day centre, driven the Dursley Association for the Transport of the Elderly and Disabled (DATE) minibus and taken an active role in Dursley in Bloom.

“I am honoured and very surprised by this marvellous award,” she said after being presented with the commendation from the club's president.

Cath, like Ronnie, was a town councillor in Dursley, as well as serving as the town’s mayor for two terms. She oversaw the acquisition and renovation of Jacob’s House, was instrumental in establishing Dursley Heritage Centre and was a founder-member and president of the Dursley and Cam Society.

“One of my proudest achievements was the town coat of arms. The town did not have one so I set about designing one,” she said.

“It was officially accepted and is still in use today.”

Jan, who just stepped down after 11 years as the headteacher of Woodfield Junior School in Cam has been keen to support the rotary club’s work with young people and regularly sent more than 60 pupils to take part in an annual music concert.

She said: “I will be leaving my post with sadness and will be looking forward to making my contribution to the community in my retirement.”

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