MIGHT I please have some space in our local newspaper to honour a great character?

Mr Dave Sperry has recently retired from being chairman on the Fletcher hall committee for 20 years.

He is still active in the village as treasurer of the Shipton garden club and secretary of the short mat bowls.

Dave has been compère on many activities in the village and has done a splendid job for the Shipton Bellinger community. He will be greatly missed, but is being replaced by a Mr Andrew Sullivan who is indeed a force to reckon with.

Andrew is going to fill this post as chairman for six months, we wish him well.

It’s been a tough job all of these years but Dave has executed his loyalties with gusto.

They say behind every good man is a good woman and Wendy Sperry his wife has put a lot of hard work into Dave’s career as chairman and is also a member of the WI.

It’s with great thanks for the devotion put in by both Wendy and Dave.

Our community has blossomed because of their input.

God bless them both and bless Andrew.

Many thanks for the piece you placed in the letters about Shipton School, terrific job as usual. God bless all.

I’m furious about the government trying to gag the Press.

There are things we need reported and if they stop that then they have stopped freedom of speech.

Josephine Smith, Hedges Close, Shipton Bellinger