KATY SCOOPS NATIONAL AWARD

Farnborough Rotary Club member Katy Harris has been chosen as 2019 International Champion of Change for her 6 years of outstanding work on a school project in Lugala, Uganda. The project gives children living in extreme poverty in slum areas the opportunity to break out and fulfil their potential.

Katy’s involvement included the teaching, teacher training and the school building and facilities. Her enthusiasm, skills and her practical experience as a teacher and head teacher guided the project towards successful and highly praised developments in the school’s curriculum, educational achievements and better lives for its students.

The award has been made by RIBI – Rotary International in Britain and Ireland. Katy will be honoured at the Rotary Champions Award Ceremony at the Nottingham Council House on 10 May. The Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Nottingham will host the awards and make the presentations alongside Rotary International President Barry Rassin.

The Child Promotion School, Katy and the students’ homes

Farnborough Rotary Club President Michael Smailes said “We are delighted. We’ve been following Katy’s progress and she’s a great ambassador for the project, clear sighted and with a vision for its evolution. Katy faced strong competition from both the south east of England and the UK and Ireland as a whole and it’s great our nomination succeeded.”

Katy said “It’s so humbling. It’s a lovely honour and I’m so grateful for the support from my club and the Aldershot based charity Karuna Action. Karuna means compassion in Hindi and that is what this work is all about.”

Katy lives in South Farnborough and was a teacher for 38 years. Early in her career she taught locally at St Peter’s School where she returned as interim head for two terms following her retirement as head teacher of Preston Candover Primary School. She joined our Rotary Club in 2015, making her mark chairing the Vocational Committee and will be club president in 2020-2021.

Report from Jim Thomson