Special seat for a ‘village hero’

A TOUCHING tribute to a stalwart of village life has been unveiled outside a building central to his life. 

Evenwood’s Raymond Gibson died in January after serving his home village for much of his 91 years.

An iron seat, complete with Mr Gibson’s initials and walking stick, was installed last week in his memory.

Evenwood Parish Council commissioned former village GP Dr Joe Said to build the memorial bench outside the Randolph Community Centre. The iron seat was designed and crafted by Dr Said and parish chairwoman Barbara Nicholson thanked him for creating an “everlasting memory” to Mr Gibson. Cllr Nicholson said: “We would like to offer our grateful thanks to Dr Said – he did it free of charge in his own time.”

Dr Said added: “I am quite flattered that they asked me and they seem to like it.”

Mr Gibson attended the school where the community centre now sits before eventually becoming treasurer of the community centre it became.

He donated money to the building in his later years and had the Raymond Gibson Hall named after him for the gesture. Away from the centre, he was active in local politics as a parish councillor of more than 30 years, a leader Teesdale District Council and a supporter of many campaign groups and charities in Evenwood.

Cllr Nicholson added: “It’s only a little village and I know other villages have their heroes but people only ever saw Raymond as an old man and, over the years, he was a credit to this community.”

“We will never let him be forgotten.”