We live in a culture where not enough is done for selflessness. Many times, the saying that “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer” is poignant in our behaviour towards one another.

When this saying is expressed, many look at it in financial or material terms. But this is not always so. It is just a figurative expression which denotes what our natural instincts let us do.

So in order to get wide coverage and huge acceptance, Hollywood have this annual thing called the Oscar’s where already established stars are rewarded for doing what they have been paid handsomely to do. Great stuff. But what about the unsung heroes?

In my world, international football, we converge once every year to give an award - the World Player of the Year, the Balon d’Or to a player and coaches who have accomplished great things, yes, but who do not really need the big noises around them as they are big enough. Surely football has many unsung heroes.

It filters down to our respective societies and communities and we tend to find an appetite for giving awards to people who are already recognised. After all that’s the only way to get people to attend award ceremonies and to get sponsors to fund the events.

But in Rotary Club of Basingstoke we decided that we want it to be more about the people who are unnoticed and unrecognised but who are doing sterling work in the community. People who have gone over and beyond in the course of their daily lives, to make a difference in others’ lives. To honour them while they are still with us and not when they are gone. To show that we see what they are doing and to inspire them and others to do more.

This has seen the birth of the Rotary Club of Basingstoke President’s Recognition Awards, launched in May 2023. We get the public involved in nominating prospective winners and telling us why they should be considered for the award. And we select one, and present the award to them.

Needless to say this has gone down very well with Basingstoke locals and it has increased the acceptance of Rotary in our local community.

We have had six awardees to date - from a couple that donated their caravan to a family of carers who have never had a holiday before; to someone in a care home who saved the life of a resident while the care home was on fire. We have awarded recognition to the manager of our local football club for guiding the team to promotion in their league, and we have rewarded a young girl who, at nine-years-old, has been caring for a sick relative at the expense of her regular education. We are aiming to do more, and we believe that Rotary can adopt this scheme and show that there is more to us than just throwing money at charities and doing community work. We also want to champion that cause that looks at our community and says ‘Thank you……and well done’.