A MAN who served the public as a journalist for more than 70 years, and who also dedicated his life to community service, died at Leighton General Hospital in Cheshire, on April 20, aged 92 years.

Arthur Sharp, who retired as sub-editor of the “Crediton Courier” in 2014 at the age of 85, moving to Bunbury, Cheshire, three years ago.

Arthur’s career in newspapers began in his native Cambridge where he followed his brother Charles into the newspaper business to serve his apprenticeship with the Cambridge Daily News.

After his National Service he worked in each of the company’s district offices, spending 14 years at Saffron Walden, Essex, becoming editor of the company’s five weekly newspapers.

His interest in community service dates from 1952 when one of the first organisations with which he was involved was as a founder member of Saffron Walden (Essex) Round Table.

POLIO

He was Founder Secretary, later Chairman and opted to serve on the club’s Community Service Committee which initially saw him raising funds to provide the town’s hospital with an Iron Lung machine.

That was about the time Arthur contracted polio, which affected him through the rest of his life.

It was also when he and Ann were married.

He became involved in a number of other projects which included a St Christopher Club to provide outings and holidays for underprivileged children and a St Raphael Club to help disabled people exercise in the town’s heated indoor swimming pool, helped by volunteers.

In November 1963 Arthur helped to raise funds to buy a caravan with solid fuel heating, fill it with clothing, blankets and medical supplies and deliver it to the Mayor of Skopje in the former Yugoslavia which had been devastated by an earthquake.

It was largely thanks to Arthur that the group was helped by the British Embassy, the United States Air Force and the Royal Engineers.

In 1966 Arthur joined the Northcliffe Newspaper Group at Cheltenham to edit the Cheltenham Chronicle.

Continuing his association with Round Table there, he helped to provide outings and holidays for needy young and elderly people.

Among other projects, they raised funds to help local people and residents of a Sue Ryder Home and also Star Homes. At this time, Arthur was instrumental in forming a new Round Table at nearby Churchdown and was made an honorary member.

When he “retired” from Round Table at the age of 40, Arthur then helped to establish a second Rotary Club in Cheltenham - Cheltenham North -  and became Club Secretary.

In 1972 Arthur moved to Hull to edit three newspapers, including the Hull Daily Mail. He joined Hull Rotary Club, became Club Secretary, was Seconded by the Club to the League of Friends of The Deep Sea Fishermen. He helped to organise and distribute Christmas parcels to the needy.  He was also involved in the formation of the Rotary Club of East Hull.

In 1981 he, and his wife Ann moved to Exeter, when he became Deputy Editor of the Express and Echo newspaper.  He worked at the Express and Echo for five years.

Arthur joined Exeter Eastgate Rotary Club and was again involved with fund-raising events for local charities and became Club President. During this time it was decided to form a second Rotary Club in Crediton, which would meet in the evening.

The District Governor invited Arthur to help with this.  It was Crediton Boniface Rotary Club, of which he became Secretary and then President.

He later joined the Rotary Club of Crediton (the “mother club”) and received the honour of being awarded Rotary International’s highest award - the Paul Harris Fellowship for Service to the Community.

In May 1987 Alan Quick, then reporter/photographer at the Crediton Courier newspaper met Arthur at Cheriton Fitzpaine not long after he had retired from the Express and Echo.

After Alan’s conversation, Arthur was invited to work at the Courier by the Editor, Sue Read.

Tindle Newspaper Group acquired the Crediton Courier in November 2004 and Arthur continued as Sub Editor and Sports Editor for the then appointed Editor, Alan Quick.

In total Arthur worked for the Courier for 19 years.

For some years Arthur was a member of the Executive Committee of the League of Friends of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

His first major fundraising for that organisation was to equip an additional Day Care Cataract Unit - as a result of this, waiting time for cataract operations was reduced from months to several weeks.

He became Chairman and remained so for 10 years.

Arthur led a long-term fundraising drive to enlarge and equip the Resuscitation Unit at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.  This was met and quickly followed by the Hospital’s appeal to help provide an adjoining 24/7 Walk-In Centre.

Arthur officially opened the Walk-In Centre at the Hospital.

He was a Trustee and active member of the R D and E League of Friends.

At Cheriton Fitzpaine, he helped with the revival of the village Football Club by becoming Secretary and later Chairman, devoting many hours helping to raise funds to buy the Football Ground and, subsequently, building a Clubhouse enabling the Club’s First Team to rise from the lower divisions of the Devon and Exeter League, through consecutive seasons, to the Championship of the Premier Division.

For more than 20 years Arthur also edited and produced the North Creedy group of parishes magazine, serving 18 parishes around his village.

To mark his long service as a journalist and editor of 10 weekly newspapers during his working life, Arthur, accompanied by Ann, attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in 2008.

Arthur is survived by his wife Ann.

His funeral service will be held at Chester Cathedral at 1.30pm on May 11.

Donations will be accepted in aid of the Dogs Trust.