Meet Sir Athol Evans
Sir Athol (Taffy) Evans
Taffy Evans was born in South Africa in December 1904, was educated at Graeme College in Grahamstown and at Rhodes University where he studied Law and received the degrees of BA and LL.B
He was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Rhodesia, and served as Senior Legal Adviser, Secretary for Internal Affairs for Southern Rhodesia and later as Secretary for Home Affairs in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. He retired from Government service in 1964.
Taffy joined the Salisbury Rotary Club in 1952 and held all offices except secretary and treasurer. He was Club President in the year 1957/58 and District Governor for 1964/65.
Taffy was known for outstanding service to Rotary which he served as a member of the Rotary International Vocational Service committee, as a member of the organising committee of the 1966/67 Nice convention, and as a member and later as chairman of the RI World Community Service committee. Sir Athol represented the President of Rotary International on a number of occasions
His service to the local community included being Chairman of Fairways Home for Aged Persons, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Shearley Cripps Home; Chairman of the National Trust; Chairman of the National Council for the Care of the Aged; Chairman of the National Parks Advisory Committee; Member of the Heart Foundation. He was Chairman of the Combined Service Organisations Trust that was set-up for the purpose of funding and building the Athol Evans Hospital Home.
His service to the community was recognised by the awards of M.B.E (1953?); C.B.E.(1954); and K.B.E. (1963). The Salisbury Rotary Club awarded him a Paul Harris Fellowship in 1971.
Sir Athol sadly passed away in June 1988 after a lifetime of service to the community in several capacities.