Mansfield Rotary has presented well-known community stalwart Christine Bacon with a prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship award in recognition of her significant contribution in helping to organise the annual Junior Showtime event.

Junior Showtime, which showcases the talents of young people from the Mansfield area, has been taking place for 50 years and Mansfield Rotary recently held a special night at Portland College to commemorate that anniversary.

Mansfield Rotary member and former solicitor Paul Bacon is the organiser of Junior Showtime, and he is assisted by Christine, his wife of 50 years. And because she has been instrumental in helping Paul, Mansfield Rotary’s immediate past president Andrew Campin thought she would be an ideal recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship award, which is presented to a worthy individual within, or outside, the international Rotary organisation.

Christine said: “What a wonderful surprise and great honour it was to be awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship by Mansfield Rotary at the 50th Anniversary celebration of Mansfield Junior Showtime.

Christine Bacon was honoured with a Paul Harris Fellowship award at a recent event held by Mansfield Rotary.

placeholder image — Christine Bacon was honoured with a Paul Harris Fellowship award at a recent event held by Mansfield Rotary.

“I was listening to Andrew Campin explaining to the guests how this award is for exceptional service to the community and wondering who that might be - so when he said my name I was absolutely taken aback.

“I am so proud to be a Paul Harris Fellow. I will treasure the award and the memory of the very special evening on which it was presented to me.

”Paul also received a Paul Harris Fellowship award, his third, for his work on Junior Showtime. Christine was a journalist with BBC Radio Nottingham and Chair of Governors at St Peter’s CofE Primary Academy Mansfield. She is also a wedding and funeral Steward at the Church of St Peter & St Paul’s in Mansfield.

Christine is a mother of three, including Helena, Juliet, and Richard, and the proud owner of an award-winning Tibetan Terrier called Bella Bacon.

Andrew Campin has himself been involved with Junior Showtime for the past 20 years in an administrative capacity as his business, Martin Wilkinson Jewellers, used to sell the tickets for the final.

He said: “It was a terrific evening and an ideal opportunity to mark the contribution made by Christine, and Paul, especially as some of the previous winners were in attendance at the celebratory event.

”The heats for Junior Showtime 2025 take place on February 17, 18 and 19, and the final takes place on Sunday, February 23 at Mansfield Palace Theatre.

The final date for entries is Friday 31st January 2025, and more details can be found by visiting mansfieldrotary.co.uk.