CBE for Widows Champion Raj Loomba

London, 14 June 2008. — Raj Loomba, a leading member of the Rotary Club of London, past winner of the Club's Shulman Cup for Charity, and founder of the global widows charity the Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba Trust, was named a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List today, "for charitable services to poor widows and their children overseas, particularly in India, and to UK/India interests more widely."

Raj Loomba, a leading British Indian businessman as chairman of the Rinku fashion and clothing group, set up the Loomba Trust with his wife Veena 11 years ago, in 1997, in memory of Raj's late mother, who became a widow at the young age of 37. By ensuring her seven children all went on to receive a full education, she made sure they did not suffer from being thrust in a position that in India is still fraught with injustice. Aiming to follow her example by educating the children of poor widows, the Trust achieved its aim of educating at least 100 such children in all of India's 29 States within 10 years - and this programme continues to grow, with 3,600 children in India receiving their education from the Loomba Trust today.

With the active support of Trust President Cherie Blair and Patrons including Sir Richard Branson, the Trust has in recent years extended its activities worldwide. Four years ago it named 23 June International Widows Day, an annual focus for sustained action on an issue that causes suffering in many parts of the world. Today, both directly and in partnership with organisations such as the Prince of Wales's Youth Business International and Sir Richard Branson's Unite charity, the Loomba Trust is delivering education, entrepreneur training, sanitation and a wide range of other benefits to widows, their children, and orphans, in India, South Africa, Bangladesh, Ghana and many other countries in Asia and Africa. A joint research programme has also been established with Chatham House in London to raise global awareness of the injustices that continue to be faced by widows worldwide.

Paul Harris Fellowships

London, 16 June 2008. — Past Editor of The London Rotarian Kasper de Graaf received a Paul Harris Fellowship from President Hugh Kirk at the Club's luncheon meeting today.

London, 19 May 2008. — At the Club's Annual General Meeting today, two inspirational and tireless supporters of our charitable causes received Paul Harris Fellowships a the hands of President Hugh Kirk: Gil Loftus and Evette Simmonds.

Gil, the wife of our Past President Tom Loftus, has for many years been the organisational linchpin behind the biennial Oak Lodge School trips, where children of this Balham school for profoundly deaf and dumb children from disadvantaged backgrounds are taken on holiday to the Swiss resort of Interlaken where they take part in a wide range of activities not normally available to them: walking in the mountains, swimming in lakes, cycling in the countryside. Regarded as an important contribution to the children's development, the event is no less an eye-opener for the London and Interlaken Rotarians who take part in organising and attending it.

Evette, the wife of our Past President Harry Simmonds, is director and trustee of the North London-based Hope Centre for Cognitive Education, which provides facilities to benefit some 50 children with cognitive education needs. Apart from her operational involvement with the charity, Evette is a mainstay of its fundraising to support the £3/4m annual running costs. 

Dinner in honour of P.P. Arthur Thompson

Following the retirement of our Past President Arthur Thompson as Club Administrator - a post he held for over a decade - a dinner was held at the Institute of Directors on Pall Mall in his honour. Organised by P.P. Roy Standen with support from Janet Kirk, the event was very well attended. Tributes to Arthur's leadership and service were given by many, led by Past Presidents John Buchanan and Clifford Charles. Photos of the event by our Member Kiyohiko Tanaka can be viewed here .

John Holman 4/9/1923 - 25/3/2008

We report with sadness the death of our longstanding Member John Holman, who passed away on Tuesday 25 March at Hammersmith Hospital, aged 84. Our Honorary Member P.P. Arthur Thompson writes:

"John Holman was a very private man and we knew little of his personal life. Arthur Kennedy introduced him to the Club in 1991, having known him through the City of London Round Table and, later, the Association of ex-Tablers. John had formerly been a Rotarian in Ealing.

"John's family originated from Devon, and that is where he wants his ashes scattered. He was educated at the Leys School in Cambridge and at Balliol College, Oxford. Commissioned in the Army during World War 2, he served in Nigeria and India, and, as a Captain, later became a member of the Honourable Artillery Club. He was a member of two Lodges, three Livery Companies - the Painter-Stainers, the Car Men and the Firefighters - and two golf clubs - the Royal Mid-Surrey and Worthing.

"I have recently discovered that he was married to Elizabeth, who lives in Oxford, and has two daughters - one in Manchester and the other in the USA - and four grandchildren.

"John practised as a Solicitor for many years in Ealing, specialising in conveyancing and probate. He was a very generous man, supporting a number of charities, and we can say he was a very regular attender at the Club and participated in House Parties and Leonardo events. He will be very much missed."