CHURCH AND OSWALDTWISTLE ROTARY
LEWIS Baker-Vose is a 22-year-old young man who has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair.
His connections with Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary began several years ago following the death of his much-loved grandmother.
Lewis wanted to do something to thank the hospice who cared for his Nanna, so decided to raise sponsorship by taking part in Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary’s annual ‘Walk 4 Your Charity’.
He has since gone on to raise around £1,500 for the hospice by doing the walk in his wheelchair nearly every year.
Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary were so impressed by Lewis that they invited him to attend the Calvert Trust Outward Bound Course at Castle Head in Cumbria.
Lewis admits that this experience changed his life. He realised that anything was possible, and that life was for living.
Since then he has gone on to attend college and has recently started work on the reception desk at Blackburn Royal Hospital, where President Lyndon Heap and Rotarians Ron Pickup and Franco Sanna called in to see him and take a few photos.
Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary have made Lewis an official ‘Friend’ of the club.
He is keen to help wherever he can, for example at this year’s sponsored walk he was unable to take part, so instead helped with the stewarding of the event.
President Lyndon Heap said: “We are immensely proud of Lewis.
“He is the embodiment of ‘service above self’ and a real inspiration to all who meet him.”
Earlier this year Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary was visited by a film crew from RGBI (Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland).
They were also very impressed by Lewis and made him the subject of one of their videos.
Lewis can be seen telling his own story on