Peter Newbery - Obituary
Abbeyfield International is extremely saddened to report the death of Peter.
He collapsed and died suddenly on the morning of Saturday 1st September,
and this has come as a terrible shock to his family, friends and colleagues.
He leaves his wife Mary, son James, daughter Kathryn and son-in -law Neil
together with baby grandson Callum.
Peter was a chemistry graduate. He taught in India as a volunteer with VSO
(Voluntary Service Overseas) and then worked for Shell Chemicals in sales,
product marketing, planning and training. This included a three year
assignment
in Melbourne, Australia. He took early retirement at the end of 1994.
He became General Secretary of Abbeyfield International in 1996 and served
for 7
years during which time he saw the expansion of AI in countries such as
Australia,
Canada and South Africa. He also helped sow the seeds for the first house in
Japan at Gifu (which opened in 2006), and the formation of Abbeyfield Poland.
He has continued to work part time as a volunteer, running the administration
in the St Albans office.
Since 1995 he has been a volunteer with the Retired and Senior Volunteers
Programme of Community Service Volunteers (RSVP) recruiting older
volunteers to help in their communities. He was a keen and proficient
Archery coach with the Abbey Bowmen in St Albans.
In true Abbeyfield tradition he was a kind, decent and caring man.
He gave freely of his time to other people. Highly regarded by everyone who
met him,
he will be sorely missed by his Abbeyfield colleagues around the world.
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