N Burdett Tribute
TRIBUTE BY CHRISTOPHER BUXTON TO NOEL BURDETT
(Both of the Abbeyfield Society)
AT ST EDWARD THE MARTYR’S CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGEON
SATURDAY, 24 JUNE 2006
It is a great honour for me to speak at this Service of Celebration and
Remembrance for my long standing friend and colleague, Noel Burdett.
Recently, the Abbeyfield Society celebrated its 50th Anniversary
at a great service of thanksgiving in St Alban’s Cathedral, attended by our
Royal Patron, the Prince of Wales with hundreds of Abbeyfielders and
residents.
In his words of welcome, the Dean of the Cathedral said, and I quote:
What
we are celebrating today is a marvellous achievement
and a
really important work of straightforward goodness.
Our
society does not generally care well for its elderly,
but
you in Abbeyfield have worked against the tendency
to
forget and look away. In so doing
you
have brought security and dignity and happiness
to
thousands and thousands of older people.
As all of you know, Noel was a significant part of bringing this
“security and dignity and happiness” to countless elderly people for more
than 40 years of continuous voluntary service to the Abbeyfield Society.
Noel made three significant contributions to the Abbeyfield Society.
Initially, Noel formed the Abbeyfield Cambridge Society with friends and
colleagues, which has achieved so much and he has kept watch over it for all
these years, latterly with particular interest in the work of the
Vietnamese House.
Then in the Sixties, the Abbeyfield Society suffered disruption when its
Founder wished to change the objectives of our work and left the Society.
It was my difficult responsibility in 1964 to take over the Chairmanship of
the Society which was in some disarray. Noel was troubled by what had
happened and came to see me to discuss the position. In a truly
statesman-like decision, he agreed that we should only look forward and must
work in the best interest of the Abbeyfield Society as a whole with its 200
or so member local societies.
He readily accepted my invitation to join the National Executive Committee
and agreed to become Chairman and the driving force of the new East Anglia
Region. In the ensuing years we all worked closely together and
in due course he succeeded me as National Chairman.
One of his greatest contributions was to work to achieve the most cordial
and effective relationship between local Abbeyfield Societies and the
National Society – and for those of you who know, that is not always easy!
So if Cambridge Abbeyfield was his first area of service; and if his work
for the National Abbeyfield Society was his second, then his creative
involvement with Abbeyfield International was his third.
About 12 years ago there was growing interest in the Abbeyfield Society from
countries overseas. Noel and I concluded that this could best be met
and encouraged by a new organisation dedicated to that purpose.
Accordingly, with the encouragement of the National Abbeyfield Society, Noel
and I set up Abbeyfield International – with no money and no office, but
with a great deal of determination and good will.
Suffice it is to say that now there are 16 different countries in Abbeyfield
International. There are many fine houses in Australia, Canada, South Africa
and more recently in New Zealand. Then there are a number of countries
in Europe which have also joined and I recently visited an Abbeyfield house
in a hilltop village in Italy. Abbeyfield Japan has just opened its
marvellously designed house.
Noel played a significant part in all of this – and just to illustrate one
aspect of his contribution, a long-standing Abbeyfielder in Belgium has just
rung me to say what a great help it had been to them in the early days that
he could speak French while they were learning English. He had looked
after them so kindly in the Cape Town Conference 12 years ago, when he
translated everything for them. Likewise, his skills with the Italian
language helped with the establishment of the Abbeyfield Society in Italy.
So many tributes have been paid to Noel for his generosity, sense of
purpose, steadfastness, sheer competence, together with his friendly charm
and warm smile.
Inevitably, such a commitment of time and energy to a great cause – and in a
wholly honorary capacity - would leave some deficit in attention time to
business. Likewise, relationships with friends and family may suffer
too.
But all his friends and family share with joy today what he was and what he
has achieved.
We gather here together in this ancient church in love and appreciation of a
great and loveable man.
Farewell Noel…
And in the language you knew so well - A Bientôt
C.G.R.B.
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