Two veteran members of Barnoldswick and Earby Rotary Club received a nice surprise at the group’s meeting.

Out of the blue, John Clark and Peter Gill were made Paul Harris Fellows for long service, having been founder members 50 years ago.

Club president Martin Chalmers began with a talk on events during 1962 and 1963, including the big freeze, the great train robbery, the Beatles, the Cuban missile crisis and the assassination of President John Kennedy. Local events included the success of Burnley Football Club and Burnley Rotary Club’s foundation of its “daughter” club at Barnoldswick and Earby.

This led to the president’s surprise presentation of certificates and badges to John and Peter.

Then John, the society’s first secretary, revealed his own surprise – that the club had two charters of inauguration as the first mis-spelt Yorkshire as Yorshire.

A new one was issued but the first was never returned.

In offering thanks, he said the friendship and fellowship over the years had been wonderful.