31st October 2017
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden death, on Sunday 29th October, of David Morris (54) who has served as a Trustee for the past seven years.
David has been our Webmaster and IT guru throughout that time and has been instrumental in guiding the Trust’s use of e-commerce and ensuring our internet health and security. He set up, and has developed, our IT systems at Hollingwood Hub and negotiated our dealings with Easyfundraising and PayPal. He wrote and implemented our Trip Manager software, without which we would not be able to offer so many members of the public an opportunity to see the canal that David loved. His videos of the Chesterfield Canal on YouTube plot his bike journeys down the towpath – usually set to carefully chosen music.
In 2012, David was involved with the commissioning of the Hugh Henshall trip boat and played a lead role in getting it finished and into the water. He took on the role of Boat Manager and skippered numerous trips in the early days. More recently he was responsible for the creation of the Royal Yachting Association Training Centre that has awarded many of our crew their Helmsman’s Certificates. David developed the Trust’s Boat Safety Management System, ensuring consistency and professionalism across the operation of all of our fleet.
David’s energy has been enormous, for, in addition to his work with the Trust, he was the Musical Director of the Woodhouse Silver Prize Band, regularly playing during Christmastide at Hollingwood and at our Festivals. Additionally, he played cornet with the Chapeltown Silver Prize Band. He has been very well known in the brass banding world, as a director of music and as a fine player. A keen amateur photographer, he was responsible for the photography at several band contests.
David is survived by his wife Caroline, son Daniel, his mother Doreen and sister Allison, to whom the Trust sends its most sincere condolences and extends its endless gratitude for sharing David with us. Thank you all – the Trust would have been so much poorer without David’s talents.
David’s funeral took place on Monday, 20th November, at City Road Crematorium, Sheffield.