WITH GREAT SADNESS

It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of our long serving Chairman Peter Renshaw. He was a true pillar of the community. His work with the League of Friends – and many other charities – will be greatly missed. Our President Clinton Rogers has written the following obituary:

PETER RENSHAW OBITUARY

When someone asks you before they die if you will write their obituary, that is a huge responsibility! But for this man it is a huge honour.

Selfless, inspirational, generous, compassionate are just a few of the many words that have been used to describe Peter Renshaw, who has died, aged 74, after a courageous and long battle with cancer.

His CV was by any standards impressive. A former Chief Executive of Somerset Careers (later Connexions), twice President of Rotary Taunton, Chairman of the League of Friends of Musgrove Park Hospital, Ambassador for the internationally renowned Chaffinch Trust and Chairman of the Valencia Community Fund (formerly Viridor Credits).

Peter was a man who had “caring for others” at the heart of everything he did.

He was passionate about supporting and promoting young people, evidenced by the way he developed the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards, now in their 18th year, to recognise incredible things done by young people in Somerset, often against the odds and under the radar.

The Rotary Club of Taunton told me me that just a week before his death he donated a “substantial sum” to the club’s Youth Fund, which provides grants to help children and young people broaden their horizons. That was typically Peter.

Adrian Prior-Sankey, the club’s President Elect told me: “He was admired and respected by everyone who knew him He is the only person to have served as President twice in the club’s 102-year history.

“His outstanding contribution to the local community was recognised by awarding him the Rotary movement’s highest international honour, creating him a ‘Paul Harris Fellow’, named after the founder of our global charity.”

As Chairman of the League of Friends of Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, he led the organisation with energy and enthusiasm, earning the respect and admiration of everyone within the hospital.

He was so proud that this year the charity managed to raise £1.5 million to pay for the first robotic surgery console at the hospital. And I was so proud when he asked me to accept the role of President of the charity.

His passing is a huge loss to the League of Friends. But he would expect us to carry on being torchbearers for the charity, which was so close to his heart

He became deeply involved in two charities based in the north of Scotland, both of which work on a national and international level. In particular, he was a crucial part of The Chaffinch Trust (of which the Princess Royal is patron), which supports those who live in the poorest areas of Britain and overseas.

The charity’s founder Ben Goss said: “He gave an immense amount of time to the charity and his wise counsel, clarity of thought, wisdom and guidance were incredibly valuable.”

During 16 years on the board of Viridor Credits (now the Valencia Communities Fund) he helped to award millions of pounds to community, heritage and biodiversity projects around the country.

People behind that fund have said that among Peter’s favourite projects was the ‘Great Crane Project’, funded for three years between 2010 and 2013, which resulted in the successful reintroduction of the highly endangered bird to the Somerset Levels.

Before Peter retired he was Chief Executive of Connexions Somerset, formerly known as Somerset Careers Service. That is where I first came across him in a professional capacity. It was clear then that this ex teacher only wanted what was best for young people. And believe me he fought tooth and nail for what he wanted!

Both he and his wife Sylvia had a deep religious faith and were active members of the Stoke St Mary Parish Church near Taunton. Sylvia sadly passed away in late July. They leave two daughters, Helen and Claire, and five grandchildren.

Picture courtesy of Somerset County Gazette.