David had a long and deeply personal relationship with Debt Justice, playing a significant role in the charity’s founding, its survival and its continuing work to challenge unjust debt.

It was reading the story of Elinata Kasinga in Zambia that first sparked his heart for debt justice. David was equally moved by her words. as she spoke of the impact that Zambia’s heavy debt repayments had had on her community, and outraged by the injustice of the debt crisis. He felt a clear calling to do what was right. A calling to which he dedicated nearly thirty years of his life.

David first took this message to his church, in March 1997, as he preached with passion from the pulpit. It was just the beginning of the huge and immeasurable impact he would have on the UK debt justice movement over the decades. He was a prominent activist in the Jubilee 2000 campaign and was then central to ensuring that the fight for debt justice lived on beyond the Jubilee 2000 years as he supported the transition of the campaign into an organisation, Debt Justice, that continues to challenge debt-driven poverty and inequality. David served on the board for 20 years, organised campaigns and raised hundreds of thousand pounds for the work he was so passionate about.

In 2011, some years after first reading her story, David was able to meet Elinata and see the impact of the debt cancellation won by the global debt justice movement. Hearing from her first-hand that her grandchildren were all now fully vaccinated and in school was a moment he described as “the best moment of my life, apart from family matters”.

David always knew that the campaign for debt justice was a campaign for the long haul. A campaign for which he hoped to “still be kicking up a rumpus” after he was gone. It's with this in mind that, instead of flowers, it was his wish for people to honour his memory by donating to Debt Justice.