Ex-president plans to open up Rotary
If you could be a superhero who would it be?
That is the question asked by Bruce Gunn as he looks to demonstrate the everyday thinking process of people with disabilities.
“People with disabilities tend to answer straight away,” he said, “and people who are ablebodied tend to think about it.”
The 53-year-old is the man behind the Delivery Next Day Personally company and is dedicated to helping people, proven by his courier service which employs people with disabilities.
“People have that escapism thing in their head because they would love to be able to channel their internal superhero,” he said.
And Bruce has given them the chance to be that largerthan-life character.
He is also aiming to launch a new digital network for disabled people and has already had enquiries regarding the design development and content writing company.
Dedication to the town continues into Bruce’s social life with his work with East Kilbride Rotary Club.
After a year as president he is stepping down, with Leslie Irvine taking chage.
Bruce is proud of his work during his year at the helm, with the club creating positives in the background of the community.
“The service to others that the Rotary do is unbelievable,” he said.
“We have the wishing well down at the Heritage Loch that raises about £2000 a year. Nobody associates that with the Rotary but it’s us that go down there and empty it every year.
“It’s us that go down and dig out all the pennies and cash them in to go towards local causes.
“We clean up Calderglen every year.
“People come from across the country to see it. Would people be coming to see that if there was litter all over it?
“It’s not the council. It’s us in conjunction with the schools.
“We do things silently in the background. We don’t want any praise but what we do want is for people to realise what we are – a global family that wants to help in communities.”
Bruce will now be involved with the Rotary Task Force and putting a focus on recruitment as he looks to bring some new blood into the organisation.
“The Rotary is very bad at talking about what it does,” he said.
“I’m one of the youngster members of our Rotary. Most people are retired but I want to drive this forward and bring in the next generation.
“I’m taking a grasp of that after leaving the presidency.
“Most Rotarians don’t understand digital media and I try to teach them what Facebook is.
“These are platforms that people have a voice on.
“When you think about it from that point you can use it to your benefit.”
Bruce continued: “I’ve got more to do over the next three years.
“It’s my belief that the Rotary doesn’t promote itself in the right way.
“It starts to sound like a bit of a secret organisation when you talk about having to invite people in. We need to get away from that.
“It’s all about community projects and helping others.”
And when you think about it like that, East Kilbride truly has its own kind of superhero in Bruce.
Welcome to the latest instalment of the East Kilbride News series Our People. This week Mark Pirie speaks to former East Kilbride Rotary Club president Bruce Gunn.