NEIL DAVIES: During the past 25 years no person has achieved more for charity than a good friend of mine, the late Neil Davies, aged 35. I have known him since my days as a football referee, when he liked travelling with me to my matches as a linesman, to learn the rules.

When I finally retired from the whistle, he took over with all my kit. He became well known then in the sporting fraternity, and when he finished he decided to carry on from the past and continue charity work because he once confided in me by saying: "I just cannot stand by doing nothing when so many children are suffering and others have nowhere to go."

Along with his family and many others they starting fundraising and soon opened Millbrook community centre for the youth club, all kinds of meetings, etc, still going today. I now run the indoor shortmat bowls at the centre, with the venue, mat and first bowls supplied by Neil. There is also a boxing club available there.

Neil was one of those people who set about doing what his mind told him to do, and after he had contacted Mr Jeff Bradbury of Conway Road, he later had contacts abounding, meeting many famous personalities.

He later received memorabilia from teams like Coventry, Manchester United, Liverpool, for signed charity auctions.

He then met John Relish, of Newport County, who arranged many events for Neil and with one, Newport County v Civil Service for charity. It was regrettably called off due to the sudden death of Diana, Princess of Wales, who died the night before.

Neil was well known everywhere and met all the dignitaries in local government and was well known to past Newport mayors, all requested to visit the youth club.

Neil was employed by Tesco, Cardiff Road, for about 11 years and instigated many events with the shop football team to play for charity. He also arranged, a few years ago, a charity walk which I attended, from the Royal Gwent Hospital down through the park, on to Tesco, to raise funds for a young girl following surgery, and was met at Tesco by the manager and staff. He was always thankful to the local city councillors for their much- needed assistance on all occasions.

Neil was at the first Bettws carnival in 2000, Millennium year, and I recall the weather was suddenly belting with a storm at 3.45pm, and Neil was stationed on the field in a small caravan with his favourite duty, talking on the microphone for the events, and by 4pm he was swimming in water up to the caravan wheels.

He loved the microphone, which all noticed but accepted. His parents, Ian and Jean were never far away from helping him on his endeavours, and helped run the present community centre, for they believed their son was something special, especially when neighbours and friends Mr and Mrs Chantler helped with opening the club, but Mrs Chantler passed away some years ago.

Because Neil was so charity minded, he was instrumental in arranging all the funding locally on behalf of the annual Children in Need, and I was pleased some years ago to be requested to travel with the youth club to the Cardiff studios for the actual event, where I met Roy Noble and Owen Money, which was hilarious, something never to be forgotten.

Neil met Tina, who worked at a shop in the city centre, they married and they were blessed with a daughter, Jodie, now nine, who attends Millbrook School, where her grampy, Ian, is governor.

Tina has been a tower of strength recently as she had to push Neil around in a chair, due to a disease taking hold of him, and he fought hard and bore it bravely to the end.

On Friday, February 29, I was, as correspondent for Bettws, requested by Bettws In Bloom to lower the two flags at half-mast on behalf of Neil Davies, also Hylda Boddy, Monnow Way, as pillars of the community. I did it for them both.

In 2005 Neil was named Argus Charity Worker of the Year. May I, on behalf of all the past people, Community Link, Millbrook community centre, Bettws In Bloom, Women's Forum, Bettws Police, shop owners, Don Chantler, all the past committee of opening of youth club, all members, also Millbrook School, John Relish, past Newport County, Ken Critchley and wife, past mayors, city councillors, events committe, Paul Flynn, MP, Rosemary Butler, AM, Tesco Cardiff Road, all friends and neighbours, express our deepest regret and sorrow to Tina, young Jodie and family on the sudden, sad recent loss, also to the charity commission during 25 years Neil amassed £150,000.