Once again, we welcome a new member to our club – Clare Hewitt. Clare becomes the fourth new member to join us in recent weeks. We warmly welcome the enthusiasm and experience the “newbies” bring to our club.
Clare has been getting to know us for quite some time, attending meetings and events whenever possible, so it’s wonderful to officially have her on board. Clare was inducted at our business meeting on Tuesday by President Maxine Blades. Her sponsor was meant to be Rotarian Andrew Barchi, but due to health reasons he was unable to attend. Past President Stephen Thompson kindly stood in for Andrew – but luckily that wasn’t a problem as he has known Clare for around 30 years, living not far from her.
After a few words from Maxine and Stephen, Stephen presented Clare – whose Rotary classification is “lecturer” – with her Rotary badge, while Maxine handed her two international pins. Clare then addressed the group, expressing her delight at joining the club. With her enthusiasm for socialising and fundraising and her breadth of experience we have no doubt she will be a fantastic addition to our club.
Clare’s bio:
Clare’s career began with a BSc in Catering Management and Nutrition from Oxford Polytechnic. She went on to work in the hospitality industry for major organisations such as British Petroleum and the Bank of England, followed by a role in office management at Marks & Spencer. Upon returning to Kent, she became a catering lecturer at South Kent College.
In her 40s Clare made a career change, retraining as a dyslexia specialist. She worked at Canterbury College for 13 years, providing one-on-one support for students and assessing pupils for exam access arrangements. Her experiences helped her to establish a dyslexia charity focused on supporting children and young adults in East Kent.
Now retired, Clare remains active in the community. She has volunteered on various local committees – and says her most enjoyable role was that of Brown Owl for a local Brownie pack. She has two daughters, one living locally and the other in Canada. Clare enjoys the great outdoors, traveling, cultural events, dancing, and meeting up with family and friends. She also confesses that her cat demands much of her attention!
Picture (L-R) President Maxine Blades, new member Clare Hewitt and PP Stephen Thompson. Picture credit: The Rotary Club of Canterbury.
