HE WAS the man who made sure frail and elderly people across Romsey got to their vital medical appointments.

Every day for more than 15 years Derek Harper would do what he could to help the infirm get the treatment they deserved.

He ran was involved in Romsey Good Neighbours and ran it the voluntary service for more than a decade. Now tributes have been paid from across the community to him after he died of a stroke.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend a memorial service today at Romsey Abbey at noon before a reception at Ampfield Golf Club at 1.15pm. A private ceremony will be held before the service, led by one of the charity's founding members Revd Nick Flood.

The 75-year old, from Sycamore Close, Romsey, got involved in 1998 after discovering that his wife of 49 years, Barbara, was unable to get to a routine GP appointment. “He never looked back,” she said. “He took one of the clients and loved it so much he went through all the stages, the interviews, that sort of things and then became a full-time driver.”

Barbara, 73, said that the lifelong Saints fan was happiest when he was helping others.

As well as working for Romsey Good Neighbours hHe was also involved in Southampton Children’s Play Association providing play facilities through holidays and after school clubs for children in the city.

“He loved every minute of it,” said Barbara, who was also involved in the group. “Literally eEvery day he would be working on Romsey Good Neighbours, whether it was finances or driving people to appointments. It was a labour of love. He never moaned about anything.

"He did it because he wanted to do it. The only time that he moaned long and hard were the times when Saints weren't doing well.”

One of his achievements was to convince Test Valley Borough Council not to completely withdraw funding which was threatened with the axe in 2008.

Romsey MP Caroline Nokes said it was “very sad news”. She said: “Both he and Barbara have played an enormous role in Romsey, with particular dedication to Romsey Good Neighbours, where they both contributed an enormous amount over many years.

“You could not hope to have met a nicer person, hard working and committed, to his charity work, but at the same time unfailingly cheerful.”

In 2014 he suffered a stroke from which he never fully recovered forcing him to stop working for the charity.

The charity’s vice-chairman, Gill Moore, said: “He was always there. He did almost everything. He was such a nice, gentle man. He would never say anything bad about anybody.

“The day he became unwell was a bad day for Romsey Good Neighbours. I don’t think anybody knew how much he did until he wasn’t there to do it.”

Mourners are asked to wear any colour but black and to make donations to the Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Hampshire.