MORE than 100 guests were invited to a special dinner to hear from a guest speaker who worked alongside Nelson Mandela.

Newbury's Rotary club organised the dinner and invited Chris Lubbe to the reception at Donnington Valley Hotel.

Mr Lubbe grew up in the slums of Durban, scavenging books from rubbish dumps to teach himself to read then lending them to other children.

He told guests about his struggle against apartheid and the struggle for democracy alongside Nelson Mandela.

Graeme Leech, president of the Rotary Club, said: "Chris Lubbe’s life changing experiences at ‘the University of Nelson Mandela’ can’t help but leave an indelible mark on those who hear it.

"What a highly thought provoking presentation this was, with light hearted interludes which clearly captured the complete attention of all those in the Cromwell room at Donnington Valley and further made my President’s Dinner one that I personally shall always remember.

"Chris is a man with a very moving story. His experience of abuse in the apartheid regime set him up on a collision course with that regime and eventually he became Nelson Mandela’s body guard.

"He is clearly a very special man and his story demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit and is a tribute to the many thousands of South Africans who have lost their lives in the pursuit of freedom."

Rotary Clubs work to support communities across the country.