In April we bade a sad farewell to Dave Simpson, Chair of Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire until November 2022, and known by many of the WPE community. Dave threw himself into Healthwatch activities from the very beginning and became an integral part of the team, regularly visiting the office. When anyone asked how he was, he always said ‘I’m fantastic’ , which became his trademark answer, whatever mood he was in at the time.
He was an ardent volunteer for Macmillan and a compassionate listener who offered unwavering support to those in need. His selfless efforts helped countless people during his time. Dave embarked on a personal journey to be the local champion for cancer patients and their families, to ensure that the patient voice was heard - he wanted to help influence and change services for the better.
Dave took on several different roles within both organisations, including serving as a cancer voice speaker, Macmillan telephone buddy, campaigner, and a vital part of the East of England fundraising team. His passion and commitment earned him the national Douglas Macmillan Volunteer Award in 2017, a testament to his dedication.
His funeral was held in Somerset, where he spent the last few months, and his family have been overwhelmed by the number of messages that they had received from all who had known him.
Dave asked for no flowers but wanted to continue fundraising for Macmillan. To that end, if you would like to contribute, his link is here:
https://tributefunds.macmillan.org.uk/in-memory/Dave-Simpson?_ga=2.214719575.1330359146.1682077671-1075525303.1682077670
