By Sue Read

“QUITE a surprise” was Peter Bromell’s comment on receiving the British Empire Medal for services to the community, in the New Year’s Honour’s List.

Peter IS Tedburn St Mary, there is not much in which he has not been involved over his 82 years. The whole village helped celebrate his 80th birthday in 2014.

There had been another big party when Peter retired from his milk round in 2001. He had delivered milk around the area from his family farm since taking over the round from his sister in 1952.

Peter was born in Tedburn, the family farming Lower Uppacott. He was educated at Tedburn School and Mount Radford, Exeter, which closed in 1967. Peter is a member of the Old Radfordians Association.

Over the years he has raised many hundreds of pounds for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and for Hospiscare.

He would collect one old penny (1d.) a week from his milk customers. That began in about 1960 and Peter says it was the first local organisation he really helped.

After his wife Rosemary died in 1993, Peter started regular fundraising for Hospiscare, especially his Christmas event.

He was one of the earliest sellers of Hospiscare Lottery tickets which he did until 18 months ago.

His cousin, John Bromell, had been chairman of Tedburn Village Hall Committee for quite some time. When John died, Peter was vice chairman. He took on the chairmanship and still holds that post.

He joined Tedburn Parish Council in 1956 and has had several spells as chairman.

Since 1996 Peter has been Teignbridge North member of Teignbridge District Council representing Holcombe Burnell, Tedburn and Whitestone as an Independent and had one term as chairman.

“One of my greatest achievements was to keep the junction at Fingle Glen on the main A30 open,” he said.

In March 2007, six people from Tedburn went to the High Court in London only to be told they had lost their case for the junction to stay open.

But after much more work, publicity and an Inquiry at Tedburn in 2008 when the judicial review was granted, the junction that had been closed for some time was again opened. This saved people from having to drive up to Woodleigh to cross the new (opened in 2001) bridge to get back to Tedburn.

Peter’s family has been involved in Tedburn St Mary Fair and Sports probably since its beginning more than 100 years ago.

His father, Sidney George, was a member of the original Fair and Gymkhana committee and Peter has been involved in the Fair for a long time.

He and cousin John used to always be a double act in the Tedburn pantomimes, one of them usually being the Dame, the other the “straight” man.

A member of Devon County Agricultural Association, Peter has been Senior Steward for more than 40 years in the Food and Drink Hall at Devon County Show and is Steward for the cider presentation stand.

Peter and his brother, Eric, helped in creating the Recreation Field, Peter remaining as a member of the committee and has been its chairman.

He was part of the group who set up the Bonfire Committee with a big display every November and the Carnival. The former is still strong, the latter died some years ago.

Peter was much involved in setting up Outreach which began as Tedburn St Mary Locality Planning Team with the Rev David Werner in 1989. It has expanded with the name changed to Outreach but Peter is still very much involved.

He is also on the parish church flower rota, taking his turn in arranging the flowers in the church, even growing the chrysanthemums for the Christmas displays.

He helped set up Tedburn’s allotments and, over the past 20 years at least, has organised holidays by coach for local people, this year being to Lincolnshire.

As well as his own fundraising work, Peter is a member of the Lions Club of Exeter West.

Peter commented: “I have enjoyed whatever I have done in my life and, thanks to good health, I have been able to do what I have for myself, for other people and charities.

“However, I could not have done any of that without the help of everyone. Nothing would go ahead unless people supported me - and they always have, for which I do thank all of them.”