Rotary Club gives top honour to tireless volunteer Mel

Mel Cardy PHF is the worthy recipient of the Rotary Club's Paul Harris Fellowship

Mel Cardy, 88, has been given one of the organisation’s highest awards, the Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF), which recognises outstanding individual effort and is named after their founder.

Mel, who can now put PHF after his name, was born in Seaham in 1931, but moved to Houghton in 1964 with his wife Jean, who died in 2000. He was head of housing management and building at the National Coal Board for Northumberland and Durham.

But his voluntary work includes countless fundraising and social events. Only last Christmas he was collecting for the organisation’s many worthy causes in the Galleries shopping centre.

He was warden at Bournmoor Church for 33 years. He was later made warden emeritus by the then-Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright.

Mel was Houghton Rotary’s president himself in 1990-91. He has also been chairman of the Family Magistrates Court, a prison visitor at Low Newton, a Cub-Scout leader, as well as being a proud Rotarian for 42 years.

He was presented with the award, safely, at his Shiney Row home by current president Michael Gough.

Great-grandfather Mel, said: “It was a total surprise. It’s quite an honour really. I wasn’t expecting it and I’ve been in the Rotary for 42 years.

“I’ve had a full life, but everything I’ve done has been voluntary. I’ve had no pay and I’m very proud of that. I’m very content with life and have no regrets. I’ve been a very busy man. It’s a great social thing too. We get together once a week.”

There is one aspect of the organisation that Mel is particularly proud of, adding: “Worldwide, the Rotary Club was the main contributor to getting rid of polio. That’s the kind of thing we do.”

Unfortunately, coronavirus meant his award was not given at a big function, as his fellow Rotarians would have preferred. But Mel is no less delighted.

Michael Gough said: “Mel is a character. At one minute he can be deadly serious with strong opinions but then break into a broad, almost cheeky, smile and an infectious laugh.

“Meetings are never quite the same when he is absent.”