Mary Reid

Surbiton Rotary Club is 70 years old - and their celebrations featured their best known member, Rupert Bear. 

Of course, it was really his illustrator, Alfred Bestall, who was a member.

At a special anniversary party today the club had invited Caroline Bott, the author of Bestall's biography, to tell us about his life and work.

She referred to him as Uncle Fred - he was her god-father, and left her many of his paintings when he died.

There is a story about the cover of the 1973 album, on the right, and she brought along the original artwork (which actually has a brown faced Rupert)

I was very pleased to have been invited along. We enjoyed a very good lunch, which culminated in the award of the Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest award that Rotary can make, to three longstanding members.

Alan Neale, current President of the Rotary Club of Surbiton enjoying his meal on the right

Caroline kindly signed a copy of her book for me