Hugh Stephenson has been a Rotarian since September 2021. He retired in March 2020 after forty-one and half years of service with Durham County Council.
He is a prolific fundraiser, having raised over £350,000 for local community groups, brass bands and charities in the North East and is Chairman of the North of England Brass Band Championships, a Vice President of the Durham County Brass Band Association and Vice President of Spennymoor Town Band, he is also a board member of Spennymoor Area Action Partnership, a School Governor and a volunteer at the Spennymoor Care Package project and Community Garden
In 2014 Hugh was awarded a scroll of honour from Spennymoor Town Council in recognition of his community work and in 2015 received the Durham County Council Chairman’s medal, the highest honour that can be bestowed on a County Durham resident. In 2019, Hugh was a regional finalist in the Northern England ‘Pride of Britain’ TSB Community Partner Award for promotion of brass bands, fundraising and work in the local community.
In 2016 Hugh travelled to Nepal for 16 days to see the progress in his project and fundraising to rebuild schools that were destroyed by the devastating earthquakes which hit the country in 2015.
In the words of his wife, “could Hugh’s head get any bigger?” Love it! We are lucky to have Hugh and he is very welcome.