The new president of Ledbury Rotary Club is David Tombs who is well known throughout the county for his work as director of social services first for Herefordshire and later for the combined Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

He is a past president of the Association of Directors of Social Services and was awarded an OBE.

Since retirement, he has served on the Community Health Council and various voluntary bodies including The Ledbury Day Care Centre.

David served as an aircrew member of the RAF and has recently gained a private pilot’s licence at Shobdon.

He served in the Rotary clubs of Hereford and Worcester before joining Ledbury.

The Ledbury club has just completed an exciting and successful year, raising more than £20,000. Five new members were introduced, bringing the total membership to 40. The club enjoyed a wide variety of local visits and talks and won a Rotary national competition for their work in the Caribbean.

The main fundraising function was an antiques road show/auction by Giles Hodges (of Flogit fame) and a wine and cheese party at Eastnor Castle.

There was also fundraising at a jazz festival, vintage sports car competition, barn dance, river trip, a sponsored climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, pub Easter eggs and collections at Somerfield and Tesco.

The proceeds are being distributed to a variety of local and international causes. The main beneficiaries are County Air Ambulance and Ledbury Rotary’s special undertaking, The Caribbean Diabetic Footcare Project (which is now involving Rotary clubs from around the world.) Other people to benefit are Shelter Boxes, school toilets in Kenya, local schools, the Ledbury Poetry Festival, Ledbury Age Concern, Cancer Care, Marie Curie nurses, the funding of the training of a nurse in Africa via Farmers Overseas Action Group, and other donations.