John Jones MBE was presented with a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow by Ray Kramer the President of the Rotary club of Macclesfield Castle for the commitment that he has shown over the last 27 years in raising funds for many local organisations.

Having taken early retirement, John decided to put his skills as an accordionist to good use, starting in 1991 by raising money for the MAST Appeal at Macclesfield Hospital. Playing this instrument came as a result of hearing his father play at the end of hard days working as a coal miner.

If you have visited Macclesfield Hospital or the Grosvenor Centre, you may well have heard John playing in the corridors; he also visits care homes in the area bringing pleasure to the residents and every year he organises a major concert in Macclesfield with the Stockport Accordion Orchestra and international artistes, which raises significant sums for East Cheshire Hospice – tickets available on request!

Since John started in 1991 he has PERSONALLY raised in excess of £270,000 – a truly magnificent achievement!

This Paul Harris award was established 60 years ago in 1957 in honour of the Founder of Rotary, so as to express appreciation and recognition of an outstanding commitment to Rotary or to the Community.

It is an honour to be named a Paul Harris Fellow. In 1980 the award was given to Mother Teresa and other notable figures include US President Jimmy Carter, Astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar and, on a musical note, the entertainer Pearl Bailey


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Alec Johnston