Farewell Geoffrey, truly at the heart of town
TRIBUTES have been paid to a true community hero in Southport who devoted a huge amount of his time to helping others less fortunate in our community.
Geoffrey Williams was typically modest when he was awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours List in January 2015.
He was particularly well known for his roles in founding and developing the Southport Talking Newspaper for the Blind, but the much-loved Rotarian’s many roles stretched far and wide.
His good humoured enthusiasm and energy will remain an inspiration to all who knew him.
Mr Williams, who lived with wife Anne in Birkdale, helped to found the Talking Newspaper in Southport. He was the first treasurer and organised the initial fundraisning efforts to set up the STN in 1987.
Since then he worked enthusiastically, for many years as chairman, to develop and grow the organisation which has produced 51 weekly recordings every year for over 30 years.
Talking Newspaper chairman Charles O’Hara said: “Geoffrey Vernon Williams’ involvement in his community reached much further than his roles in the Talking Newspaper for the Blind, but his service to the blind and partially sighted of Southport and the surrounding area more than justified his award of the British Empire Medal.
“In 1987 Geoff, at that time manager of Lloyds Bank on Lord Street, was invited to be the founding treasurer, as part of the initial committee formed to register the charity and raise the funds necessary for the initial equipment needed.
“Since then he has been influential in the development of the organisation into a regular and reliable weekly service, keeping the blind and partially sighted of the area in touch with local news.
“His friendly enthusiasm, which never wavered, was infectious and made him a natural leader and recruiter of volunteers, so it was inevitable that he would be elected to be chairman for many years.
“He worked tirelessly, promoting the organisation, by speaking to many community groups over a wide area, but also visiting new listeners and participating in the day-to-day tasks necessary to ensure a reliable service. He continued this intense ‘hands-on’ involvement, despite additional health problems, almost until his death on April 28 at the age of 83.
“We will miss him as a good friend, and as an example of the dedication and reliability needed to set up, and maintain, a reliable, and lasting, voluntary service.”
Geoffry Williams was a branch manager with Lloyd’s Bank and moved a number of times before taking charge of the branch on Lord Street in Southport from 1982 to 1993.
He was member of the Institute Of Bankers and at one time chairman.
He joined Rotary 42 years ago at Oswestry. Eventually he landed in Southport and became a member of the Meols Club, being pres- ident and gaining the Paul Harris Fellowship. A few years ago he transferred to Southport Club, and was an active member of the Community Committee.
His friends at Southport Rotary Club have also paid tribute to him since he passed away.
A spokesman said: “The life that he lived and practised emanated from an inner source that put ‘self’ very much in the background.
“He was a delightful and lovely man to work with. My life has been enriched by the many contacts I have had with him. As we met weekly at this club his first words to me were, ‘How is Your wife?... he was always thinking of others. His life was a wonderful testimony to all that Rotary stands for, when we speak of ‘Service above Self’.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Anne, their three sons and their families at this time.“
Some of his many activities that were indicative of his selfless thinking and action on behalf of others included:
He took the principal organising role in establishing and running his Rotary Club’s Schools Public Speaking Competition, open to all the secondary schools of Southport.
He was secretary of the Southport and Birkdale Provident Soci- ety, a trust that helps people in need. He has been doing this for several years.
He did reception duty and provided transport for Queenscourt Hospice in Southport, helping in the ministry of palliative care.
He was a member of one of the Southport Probus Clubs and was chairman at one time.
Recently he was appointed chairman of Royal Birkdale Golf Club.
When he was deservedly named in the Queen’s New Year Honours List and awarded the British Empire Medal in January 2015, he modestly said he was “completely shocked and surprised”.
He told the Visiter: “To be honest, I feel a bit embarrassed about being singled out, there are so many great volunteers, and some are more deserving than I am.
“But I would like to thank all of the past and present volunteers, they are wonderful, dedicated and really great, particularly Sue Durrance, who has been the secretary for many years.”
He said he broke the news to his family when they were all together: “They were all full of congratulations and seem to be very proud.”
Mr Williams said the Talking Newspaper is “greatly appreciated” by their blind and partially sighted listeners who would “otherwise lose touch with the community.”
It was set up in 1987 after a social worker, Marlyn Banham, invited My Williams to join the steering group to explore the Talking Newspaper’s development.
From the beginning he was an active member of the steering committee which resulted in the charity being registered in 1988.
That same year he was also elected to the executive committee and was elected chairman in 2002,, a post he continued to hold for many years.