ROTIan of the Month


Terry Harper

Born 1933 deep in the Forest of Dean. Learnt to fly on an ATC Flying Scolarship, on a Tiger Moth, before doing National Service in the RAF. Flew Chipmunks, Oxfords and Meteors before being sent to run married quarters as being more suited to my talents. Studied Chemistry at Oxford, then got involved in the Glass Industry and never escaped. Main specialisations were glass fibre manufacture and melting furnace design, but mostly worked in sales and marketing worldwide, with travel to many countries. (Not NZ, unfortunately). Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Chartered Chemist.

Active in the Society of Glass Technology, who made me an Honorary Fellow in 2004. Also have been involved in the Omnibus Society since 1954, and have been coordinator of their web site http://www.omnibussoc.org since it was set up. Since retiring I have been involved in our local community bus http://www.btinternet.com/~terry.harper/images/alero/hassocks.htm as a volunteer driver and committee member, responsible for timetables and training new drivers. Will have to give up driving when I get to 75 later this year.

In younger days was a member of Round Table, from 1959 until 1974, then became a member of 41 Club until the present time. Joined Rotary in 1986, just after the Rotary Club of the Sussex Vale was chartered. Secretary from 1993-1998 and 2001-2, and President 1998-9. Set up Club web site http://www.rotary-sxvale.org.uk/index.htm and continue to look after it. Joined ICUFR at the RIBI Brighton Conference in 1999 and ROTI soon afterwards. Helped man joint ICUFR/ROTI stands at various RIBI conferences and hope to do so at the RI Convention in Birmingham in 2009. Got cajoled into preparing "Top Twenty" for the Breadbasket in 2003, and am still doing it. One of my annual tasks has been organising our annual participation in Rotary Kids Out, when we take about 20 children plus carers from our local Special Needs School to Chessington World of Adventure, driving one of the minibuses needed for the last ten years. This year will be the third that I have been able to use our Community minibus for the job but, unfortunately, the last as a driver

Back to the BreadBasket Menu