Celebrating life of Andrew Jackson

THREE years after he died, a large crowd gathered in glorious May sunshine to celebrate the remarkable life of Andrew Jackson – a long-time councillor whose energy and verve helped found many local organisations including this newspaper

The celebration of Andrew’s life took place on May 21 at Kings Newton Bowls Club, fittingly, one of the many clubs he helped get off the ground – quite literally, as guests on the day heard, with his characteristic get-up-and-go, even fitting the bowls green wooden surrounds himself!

Organised by family and friends of Andrew, a crowd of around 150 people heard many tributes to the man whose boundless enthusiasm for getting stuck into all things local led to many thriving clubs today

Among the long list of groups and institutions Andrew Jackson helped found are the Village Voice; Kings Newton Bowls Club; A Choir ’d Taste; Melbourne Town Band and the Melbourne Sporting Partnership

More recently, he brought fire and light to Melbourne in the form of a large beacon whose flames commemorated 100 years since the end of the First World War

It was Andrew’s characteristic speed in all things which many speech-makers at his memorial remembered with a fond smile

Nigel Collyer, who presented Andrew with the honorary Freeman of the Parish of Melbourne award, recalled saying in his speech at the time that as a driver of the Community Care minibus, “I understand that people sometimes dive for their own safety as he manoevres the minibus at speed around the marketplace corner!”

Peter Newbury, Andrew’s business partner, holiday companion and friend for many years, described how, when eating at The John Thompson Inn at Ingleby, staff timed him coming in for his lunch, ordering his drink and meal, eating, drink- ing, paying and leaving in 18 minutes flat!

Also paying tribute to Andrew on the day was his long-time friend Ron Warren, Terry Summerlin and John Harrison – who told the assembled company of his key role on the parish council in getting the Melbourne Sporting Partnership established

With a welcome from Pete Barton, eulogy by Rev Steve Short, and performances from A Choir ’d Taste and Melbourne Town Band, it could not have been a more fitting occasion to remember a man whose passing during Covid meant a proper tribute was a long time in coming, but was a beautifully organised and wonderfully warm occasion when it did

Andrew’s niece Louise Thompson thanked Pete Barton, the team at Kings Newton Bowls Club for their “beautiful venue and fantastic hospitality”, along with the town band and A Choir ’d Taste for their performances, to achieve a “community effort that Andy would have been proud of”

In the words of Peter Newbury, it was a day to remember a true “one off”, whose legacy in so many institutions and clubs still lives on

Ta-ra, Andrew

Council has a new leader

COUNCILLOR Robert Pearson has been announced as the new leader of South Derbyshire District Council Dr Pearson has served as Labour councillor for Midway ward since May 2011

He said: ”I’m immensely proud to have been appointed leader of South Derbyshire District Council, working alongside an extremely capable group of Labour councillors ”

ABOVE: Village Voice co-owner Anthony Freeman with Peter Newbury.

BELOW: Melbourne Town Band, of which Andrew was also a founder member, played at the occasion