We are deeply saddened to announce that on Monday 20th November, David Milsted passed away after a short period of treatment for cancer. Aged 69, David died at his home in Stromness, Orkney where he and his wife Annie “retired” in 2016. That is of course if you can call running two guest houses and helping in many local projects a retirement…

David was an English and Drama teacher at Stromness Academy from 1978 to 1985 and also a retained fireman. In his time he was a writer, a postman, a town mayor (Gillingham, Dorset), and a Liberal Democrat District and County Councillor. He devoted his life to giving love, care and guidance to the wonderful family he created and helping the communities he was a part of in many different and invaluable ways.

He also trod the boards as a hilarious Pantomime Dame and wrote the occasional pithy letter to each of his local newspapers at the time (The Orcadian, West Highland Free Press, Blackmore Vale & The Orcadian, again!).

He is survived by his loving wife Annie, his sons Ian, Alistair, Lewis, Rowan, Jim and Jack and his grandchildren Isaac and Ruari.

We appreciate this will be really sad news to a lot of people, and we would love to have your memories of David shared on this Just Giving page for us and everyone to read. We ask for donations rather than flowers, made here to three charities close to his & his family's heart. We will split the donations equally between all three charities after his final service in Orkney in the summer. Please only give what you can afford.

David Milsted was a wonderful man. A loving husband, father, grandfather, friend and a proud member of the communities he served. We are all heartbroken by his passing, but we will be forever grateful for the huge part he played in our lives, the brilliant times we had, the huge amount we learned from him and the positive difference he made to so many with his work.

Thank you David. You will be missed and celebrated always.

Annie, Ian, Ally, Lewis, Rowan, Jim & Jack xxx

CHOSEN CHARITIES

CLAN Clan Cancer Support is a well-established local charity providing emotional and practical support to people affected by cancer across north-east Scotland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland. They provided incredible accommodation, care and support to David & Annie during his week of treatment in Aberdeen.

Phone Credit for Refugees In a world where digital communication plays such a huge part in our lives, it is sadly unavailable to so many who need it the most. Phone Credit for Refugees and Displaced People helps address this, and is a cause Annie, his wife, has been a huge supporter of since their inception in 2016. David’s attitudes to the treatment of refugees in our country is personified by him calling his tumour ‘Suella’ to give him more reason to beat it, and he took great pleasure in outliving her period as Home Secretary.

Macmillian Cancer Support The Macmillan Cancer Support team at the Balfour Hospital in Orkney became as close as family to David & Annie during his 6 months of Chemotherapy, and we are forever grateful to them for making what is a horrible process into a weekly joy to them both. They also offered support & care to David and his sons after his late wife Janet died from Cancer in 1993.

MEMORIAL SERVICES

Due to the huge impact David had on so many people’s lives in so many places, and the difficulty of getting to Orkney at this time of year we have decided to organise three events.

FIRST: Monday 11th December, 11.30am: Aberdeen Crematorium.

Everyone is welcome to come, but due to location & time of year we fully understand that only family and nearby friends might be able to attend. If you do wish to come we would love to see you, please RSVP to allywolf1@gmail.com so we can get a feel for numbers. Immediate family will be traveling up on Sunday night and staying Monday. There will be a social get-together somewhere to be confirmed after the service.

The Crematorium is located off Skene Road, Hazlehead, Aberdeen AB15 8PT and more info for travel etc can be found HERE

SECOND: 17th February 2024, British Legion, Gillingham (Dorset)

To give the community he served and was such a loving part of a chance to pay their respects there will be a Memorial Service in the town where David and our family lived for 23 wonderful years. The service will be held at The British Legion, School Ln, Gillingham SP8 4QW. Doors are at 3.30pm & the service starts at 4pm, and will be followed by drinks and a buffet. Anyone is welcome but fee free to RSVP allywolf1@gmail.com

THIRD: August 2024, Warebeth Cemetary, Stromness, Orkney

In the light and warmth of high summer, our family will come to Orkney for our holidays and we will have a day when David's ashes are interred at Warebeth Cemetary. This will be an easier and happier event and, as well as establishing his last resting place in Orkney, it will give his Orcadian friends an opportunity to mark his departure. The date and time of this is to be confirmed.

PS - The photo was taken in Christmas 2020 when none of us were able to join David & Annie in Orkney due to Covid lockdowns, so we sent cardboard cut outs instead...