Obituary - David Jarman

On 22 October 2019, David Jarman sadly passed away in hospital after a short illness. His passing occurred about a month after David and his wife Sheila’s Golden Wedding celebration party, where he appeared to be on good form, having recovered from a fall earlier in the year.

David lived most of his married life in Great Kingshill and upon retirement worked hard within the village, advocating policies to create a better community for us all to enjoy. David's vision was clear - he wanted a vibrant community in which all members worked together and helped each other.

He was an active member of the Great Kingshill Residents’ Association and Vice Chairman of the Neighbourhood Action Group where, with others, he started the Speed Watch scheme with the goal of reducing speeding through the Parish. The equipment, supplied by the Parish Council and maintained by volunteers, comprises several speed meters which are moved around the village. The Speed Watch initiative has been a success, bringing down the average speed of cars passing through the village.

David was also part of a team that encouraged Buckinghamshire County Council to introduce a pilot scheme to look after vulnerable people in the village. The Hughenden Street Association was formed, providing Street Representatives who volunteer to keep an eye on their vulnerable neighbours, helping them avoid scams and advising them on where to get help when needed.

David was a long-term Trustee of the Village Hall, believing that a good village hall was necessary for a strong community and that local organisations should be encouraged to make use of it for a reasonable fee. He wanted the hall to be a great community facility, urging that it be maintained to a high standard. One of his final ideas was to have meetings of the U3A there, once a fortnight, for people to meet and discuss a chosen subject.

David was a Parish Councillor, being ward member for Great Kingshill on Hughenden Parish Council for over 8 years. In addition to his many other active interests, he was a committee member of the Bucks branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), where he actively fought against development in rural areas, especially around proposed development in the Oxford to Milton Keynes Corridor.

David will be greatly missed by his friends and colleagues in the village. He was a fountain of ideas for the community and an unwavering source of encouragement to get things done.

All our condolences are given to his wife, Sheila; their two daughters and family.

Written by David Davies and Terry Williams; edited by Barnaby Moore.