Brian Crawford (my Dad!), dedicated more than 60 years of his life to being of service - both to his country and to the local community.

On Sunday 23rd April 2023 he very sadly passed away at 81 years young, as a result of complications arising from liver surgery, due to the liver cancer he had been diagnosed with 7 months earlier.

Throughout that time and right up to his admittance to St James's Hospital in Leeds, Brian was still hugely active with various community projects in Fleetwood, Lancashire, where he was born.

Even up to his final days he was still having meetings and tying up loose ends before his impending surgery, and had been out delivering leaflets throughout Warren Ward, where he was due to stand for re-election to Fleetwood Town Council, as well as hoping to be elected as a Wyre Borough Councillor on the 4th May.

Therefore it seems fitting that in memory and tribute to my Dad, that we ask people not to send flowers for his funeral, but to please consider making a worthwhile donation instead.

All donations raised (minus JustGiving processing fees) will be given to a number of causes in Fleetwood that my Dad felt passionate about, as follows:

Friends of Fleetwood Yacht Lake Convenience Group - a toilet block next to Dolly's Kiosk and the boating lake in Fleetwood, that my Dad helped to re-open back in 2021, and is funded purely by the local community. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065913850515

Friends of Fleetwood Museum - https://www.fleetwoodmuseum.co.uk/support/#friends

Friends of Fleetwood Memorial Park - https://www.visitfleetwood.info/about/parks/memorial-park-fleetwood/

Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs - registered charity no: 1187870 - https://www.fleetwoodbeachwheelchairs.co.uk/

Men's Shed, Fleetwood - registered charity no: 1186935 https://www.mensshedfleetwood.org.uk/

Pharos Masonic Lodge charity, Fleetwood

Brian was actively involved in many organisations for over 60 years, including the army (based in Southampton - where he met my Mum, also Aden and Bahrain), various angling associations - including the National Anguilla Club and the European Eel Anglers Association, as well as several regional and national environmental projects. He also played rugby in Peterborough well into his 40's and still loved watching the 6 Nations each year.

He was a dedicated science teacher at Stanground School, Bretton Woods School (both in Peterborough) and the Phoenix School in Telford, over a 20+ year period.

In addition, Brian was also a youth leader for several youth groups, a Millom Parish Councillor (and Mayor), a Fleetwood Town Councillor, a Cumbria County Councillor, a Governor for Shakespeare School in Fleetwood (and previously at schools in Millom).

He had been the local Armed Forces Champion for both FTC as well as Men's Shed (a position he was very proud of holding), in addition to being a very active senior member of various Masonic Lodges in Millom (Cumbria) and Fleetwood (Lancs), which was a huge and very important part of his life.

In tributes to my Dad, he has been called a proud man, a true gent, "one of the most decent men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting", a great teacher, and one of life's good guys. I was also very proud to call him my Dad! He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and the many other people whose lives he touched in some shape or form throughout his long life.

Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to support Brian's favourite causes one last time, in his honour. We ask you to please give generously to these very worthy and deserving community groups and charities, that were so dear to his heart.

Thank you so much from Brian's family - his wife Jill, daughters Annette and Sharon (me), son-in-law Andy and granddaughter Danni (Annette's husband and daughter).