A Memorial Service was held for our much loved volunteer, Jim Lumsden RIP, at St Luke’s Church, Rigbourne Hill, Beccles on Friday, April 29th at 11am.
Despite Jim’s strict orders for “NO FUSS”, the service was attended by a large crowd and several tributes were paid to this popular Beccles stalwart.
Former Chairman, Vaughan Shea, led the tribute on behalf of Three Rivers Talking Newspaper, a copy of which can be read below:
A Tribute on behalf of Three Rivers TN by Vaughan Shea
Good morning. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Vaughan Shea and I was, for over 10 years, the chairman of the 3 Rivers Talking Newspaper for the Blind. And it is in connection with Jim as a volunteer for the Talking Newspaper that I want to talk about today.
Jim was a long standing volunteer for the T.N and was a regular, very reliable and well liked reader on the C team. I first met Jim in the early 1990’s and was immediately struck by his presence in the room. If Jim was there, you certainly knew it – Jim’s response on meeting never changed from the first time to the last. “How are you Jim?” I would enquire, and the response would always be “OLDER… and DAFTER”.
Jim would often have a musical score with him on a recording night and in between his readings he would be silently mouthing the words. There was always plenty of banter around the table with his fellow readers, with Mary Weavers in particular, being near neighbours and fellow golfers as well as their interest in the talking newspaper. Jim’s hand-over to his fellow reader Pat was usually “And now over to PATRICIA”.
Jim was an amazing ambassador for the talking newspaper, helping organise and participating in a number of concerts over the years with the Friends in Harmony choir, the proceeds from which would benefit 3 Rivers. He was also very persuasive in getting others to join the 3 Rivers team. Indeed, our current Chair Emma was cajoled into joining the talking newspaper by Jim.
I also fondly remember the annual cake stall held in the precinct in Beccles, to raise funds for the talking newspaper. Jim’s arrival at the stall was usually a fairly noisy affair as of course he knew so many people. And then, the greetings and pleasantries over with, his choice of cake? Of course it had to be a DUNDEE cake!
I know that Jim has been quoted as saying how lucky he was to live in Beccles, but I can’t help thinking that in fact we were very lucky to have Jim in our midst. Many people’s lives were made all the richer and organisations like 3 Rivers Talking Newspaper and others benefitted greatly because of Jim Lumsden, and I am proud to have known him.