JOHN Ward, who has died aged 83, began life in 1938 in a farm house next door to the George and Dragon in Hudswell Village, outside Richmond. He attended the one-room school in the village, where a curtain was pulled across to separate the two classes.

After passing his 11-plus he spent one term at Richmond Grammar School before the family moved to Market Rasen, Lincs. John did well in his new school and enjoyed captaining the school rugby team.

The family moved back to Richmond when John’s father became Post Master for Catterick Camp. John undertook National Service as a psychiatric nurse in the Medical Corps, which was followed by community work and a degree at Birmingham University, where he won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Philadelphia.

Senior social policy roles followed in London, at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, and the National Consumer Council. John became chair of the Plain English Campaign and Citizens Advice Bureau in London. On retirement, after an outstanding career in national social policy, he returned to Richmond.

In Richmond, John supported many initiatives to help the local community. With the Richmond Partnership he was instrumental in producing a major study, sponsored by the Countryside Agency, to improve the town and surrounding countryside in the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth epidemic of 2001.

For ten years he chaired the charity, the Richmond Swale Valley Community Initiative (RSVCI) overseeing innovative regeneration projects. He guided several of the significant improvements to the town during this period.

These included the Heritage Partnership Property Improvement Scheme, lighting projects, Castle Walk, the woodland walks along the Swale, the town trail and the nature trail and the Trinity Square seating. John also offered valuable advice in the early years of the Walking and Book Festival and Walking for Health. The work of the RSVCI and others culminated in Richmond receiving the national award of Great Town of the Year 2009.

He served on the committee of the Richmond and District Civic Society, was a keen supporter of the Station development along with many other local groups including the North Country Theatre, the George and Dragon community pub scheme (where he was a shareholder), and more recently as a generous supporter of the initiative to repurpose the empty Old Richmond Grammar School building. He took every opportunity to help out in whatever way he could. He and wife Caroline would be seen regularly at the Georgian Theatre, the Station cinema or attending the folk club on Friday nights.

He and Caroline spent time here and in London. As a result of the pandemic, and his failing health, most of the past two years was spent in London. It is fair to say that he was pleased to return whenever possible, as his heart was always in Richmond.

His funeral and service will be on Thursday, November 18 at 2pm at St Mary’s Church, Richmond, followed by a burial in Hudswell village churchyard. John’s son Matthew, who now lives in Argentina, also considers Richmond to be his second home and will be at the funeral and burial.