Al passed away in early September after a year battling cancer, an illness which few suspected as he went about his wide range of community activities till a few days before his death.  

Al’s portfolio of community interests was wide – he was one of the founders of Humbie Box Office; a member of the Community Council for more than twenty years; a trustee of DLX Community Benefit Trust (the windfarm fund); one of the instigators of HumbieNet (the community-owned local broadband infrastructure managed by Lothian Broadband), and the Humbie First Responders group; the initial energy behind the ‘Humbiehelps’ community CoVid initiative; the ‘fixer’ behind Mavis Hall corporate events; a dame in Humbie Players Christmas pantomimes; and latterly Morag Taylor’s trusty lieutenant in the Humbie Hub.  And much more.

Al, with his wife Janet’s support, had a greater impact on the community in which he lived than anyone I have come across.  Humbie is a much more vibrant and viable community because of Al. Few of us will deserve such an epitaph.  We are poorer for his passing – but richer, not just for his time amongst us, but for the way he chose to spend it.  

Thank you, Al