Jimmy Vaughan's funeral was today. I was with Jim on the Council for around 20 years before he retired, I have very fond memories of him, and was so glad that his funeral was a fitting goodbye to him. Jim was a Labour Councillor in Billingham, and when I was elected in 1981, as the lone Liberal, people from the other parties were certainly not friendly, to put it mildly. But then in 1983 I read in the press about the proposal to put nuclear waste under Billingham, and Jim was quoted as finding this out, and was launching a campaign agaisnt it. I too was angry, and was straight on the phone to him offering to help. From that day on we were friends, and I remamber him as my first friend from another party. We had a great campaign, forming BAND (Billingham Against Nuclear Dumping) and eventually won the day.
Jim was a former sea man, and loved every chance to take up any related issues, or tell the tale - but that was nothing to his love of nature and the tales he told and scrapes he had got up to. He was kind, passionate about what he believed in, and a good man. His spirit has moved on, but those of us left need to continue to have that passionate care and interest he had in the environment.
We are in the middle of a hard fought election, and yet people from all parties, present and former Coucnillors, were there to show their respect for Jim. It is a reminder - there are other things more important !!
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