TOWN and district councillor Susan Adams received something of a surprise at the Rotary Club’s annual ‘Tree of Light’ ceremony when she was presented with an accolade by the organisation.

After the councillor had helped to plan the evening’s events, right down to the mulled wine, she was led into St Nicholas’ Church, where more than 100 people were waiting including the mayor of Alcester Mark Cargill, town and district councillors, Alcester Court Leet, and members of Rotary Clubs from all over Britain and Ireland, as well as Rotary head office personnel from its offices in Alcester.

Mrs Adams was awarded with the Paul Harris Fellowship, an extremely high recognition and honour in the Rotary movement.

The award is named after the Chicago lawyer who first founded the Rotary Club in 1905 with three of his clients.

The fellowship can be awarded by clubs through a donation of $1,000 US to the Rotarian movement, to honour individuals who meet the high professional and personal standards set out by Paul Harris.

Following the presentation fellow councillors Mike Gittus and Lennox Cumberbatch spoke about Sue, praising her loyalty and commitment to the town of Alcester, and the hard work she does for many of its community organisations

Mrs Adams husband Jim, who passed away in September, was also a Paul Harris Fellow, and Mrs Adams mentioned how proud he had been of the award, and how she had never imagined she would receive one as well.