From today, the Rotary Club of Northallerton will have a new President for the Rotary year beginning on 1 July. After a successful year, David Ison hands over today to John Prest. During his year in office, David has led the Club in several fund-raising activities, from some of which £1070 will be donated to Neuroblastoma UK, a charity which funds research into a little-known brain cancer in young children. David said ”My year as President has been very fulfilling, and I am delighted that we have been able to help such a worthy charity which I know well.”
New President John Prest has been a Rotarian since 1995, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a founder member of the Rotary Club of Northallerton in 1947. Until recently, John owned and founded John Prest Property Management, a local Letting Agency which incorporated W. L. Prest & Son, a local Estate Agents, founded by his grandparents in 1926. John and his son Mark are the third and fourth generations of the family to run the business. John is therefore well-known in the local community, through the business and his work on Northallerton Town Council, serving as Mayor for a term. He was also a councillor on Hambleton District Council for 32 years and is its only member to have served two terms as Chairman. John and his partner Polly live at Stamford House on Northallerton High Street, and John has a son, daughter and 3 grandsons from his marriage to his late wife Sue.
In accepting the Presidency, John commented: “I thank David for leading the Club in the past year, and I look forward to continuing the superb involvement of the Rotary Club of Northallerton in the local community. My heart is in this Town, and being a part of its activities is deeply embedded in my way of life.”
President Elect for the coming year is Joy Rowley, who will assume the Presidency in July 2026.
Photo: David Ison (left) hands over the President’s chain of office to incoming President John Prest at the Golden Lion Hotel in Northallerton, where the Club meets every Friday lunchtime at noon.