Seaview, High Street, Des Saunders

This bench on the High Street of lovely Seaview is dedicated to Desmond Saunders, who clearly was loved very much by his family.
Mr.Saunders was born in 1934 in Birmingham and died in 2008 after a long illness.

He started his working life as a trainee in administrative work for the Birmingham City Council.
In 1964 he was appointed as housing improvement officer for Oxford City Council. He went for the job interview during his honeymoon, just being married to his love Diane.

Four years later he made a big step in his career, becoming senior health department officer in Winchester for Hampshire County Council and two years after that he went to Leicester to get a similar position.
One year later, in 1971, he and his wife moved to the Isle of Wight. He became the deputy director of social services for the island. A job he kept till his retirement in 1990.

He was a member of the Nettlestone and Seaview Parish Council for four years, of which he was the chairman for three of these.
He was not a person for doing nothing, so he had a very active life. He was a keen golfer and not surprising became the chairman of his golf club, Ryde Golf Club as well.
He was also a member of the Brading Yachts Club, loved sailing.

Besides all this he enjoyed gardening, skiing, swimming and playing badminton.

He leaves behind his wife, three daughters and eight grandchildren. One of his daughters, Collette, is a press secretary to the Queen.