Tribute to John Foxcroft
|
John Spencer Foxcroft
30th November 1942 – 2nd April 2020 John Foxcroft, the Back Dane Trust Treasurer, passed away on 2nd April 2020 following a severe brain haemorrhage. John established The Back Dane Trust (Beasley Back Dane) in 1990 and chaired it from 1990 until 2018, then continued as treasurer until his sudden death. He arrived in Derby as a graduate at Rolls Royce in the mid 60s and together with colleagues immediately set up a local volunteer group, Derby IVS, affiliated to the organisation International Voluntary Service. This grew rapidly and undertook many activities, including gardening and decorating for the elderly and disabled, weekly visits to children’s homes; a club for Mencap and occasional weekend trips for disadvantaged children. |
John chaired the group for the majority of its duration, before organising its transfer to the the independent charity Beasley Back Dane in 1990.
From the beginning he masterminded many developments, including the acquisition of headquarters for the group; the award of an innovative five year Urban Aid Grant whereby a fulltime person visited schools and organised volunteer activities for pupils.
His next endeavour was to raise funds and subsequently purchase a burnt out Peak District cottage for the group at auction in 1977, namely Back Dane. He did this because he recognised the need for a facility for inner city children to get away to the countryside, and the building offered a wonderful experience far away from city life. John and other volunteers restored the building purely with voluntary effort.
During this time he was elected as a Derby councillor and sat on the Social Services committee. He was also a magistrate.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s John initiated activities to raise funds to improve and maintain Back Dane. Volunteering working weekends were held monthly to rebuild the building and over the years hundreds of disadvantaged groups have visited.
Although John faced many challenges including managing his engingeering company through difficult times and latterly close family illness, his tenacity and focus kept the Trust moving forward. In the last few years a legacy was received enabling extensive refurbishment of Back Dane and John showed real leadership in getting the project delivered.
Without John those who have visited Back Dane as children and now return as adults would never have had the chance to have amazing experiences like dark sky, wildlife encounters and being in an environment far away from distractions of the 21st century.
John was a unique, caring, driven individual and one who, for over fifty years, doggedly pushed voluntary activity forward and helped so many as a result. We will all miss him.
From the beginning he masterminded many developments, including the acquisition of headquarters for the group; the award of an innovative five year Urban Aid Grant whereby a fulltime person visited schools and organised volunteer activities for pupils.
His next endeavour was to raise funds and subsequently purchase a burnt out Peak District cottage for the group at auction in 1977, namely Back Dane. He did this because he recognised the need for a facility for inner city children to get away to the countryside, and the building offered a wonderful experience far away from city life. John and other volunteers restored the building purely with voluntary effort.
During this time he was elected as a Derby councillor and sat on the Social Services committee. He was also a magistrate.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s John initiated activities to raise funds to improve and maintain Back Dane. Volunteering working weekends were held monthly to rebuild the building and over the years hundreds of disadvantaged groups have visited.
Although John faced many challenges including managing his engingeering company through difficult times and latterly close family illness, his tenacity and focus kept the Trust moving forward. In the last few years a legacy was received enabling extensive refurbishment of Back Dane and John showed real leadership in getting the project delivered.
Without John those who have visited Back Dane as children and now return as adults would never have had the chance to have amazing experiences like dark sky, wildlife encounters and being in an environment far away from distractions of the 21st century.
John was a unique, caring, driven individual and one who, for over fifty years, doggedly pushed voluntary activity forward and helped so many as a result. We will all miss him.
John receiving a cheque on behalf of Derby IVS, c1978
John leading tributes to David Robinson (Robbo or PDR) at Back Dane, September 2014
John (along with Robbo and Graham Kirkham) and a Derby IVS International Work camp group visiting Chatsworth House prior to running a Kids Weekend at Back Dane, 1981
On 7th August 2021 a memorial tribute to John was held at Back Dane to remember him, with the unveiling of a wall plaque commemorating him and the dedication of the sensory garden in his name.
Wall plaque in dedication to John, unveiled 7th August 2021
Brass plaque dedicating the sensory garden in John's name, unveiled 7th August 2021
|
Brass plaque tribute to John, unveiled 7th August 2021
|
Top: Graham Kirkham unveiling brass plaque in the John Foxcroft Memorial Garden; Bottom: All attendees at the event sheltering from the rain! 7th August 2021
|
"John Foxcroft was a multi-facetted, and very talented individual. One of those many facets was a love of gardening... the creation of a garden at Back Dane that bears John’s name is a very fitting tribute to him. Louise and her family can witness it today as will countless visitors to Back Dane in the years ahead. I believe that a sensory garden would have triggered John’s insatiable curiosity; he would be looking in detail at each and every plant and be fascinated to learn how they impacted on the senses.
Apart from being a loving husband, father, and grandfather John was a very successful engineer and business man. His contributions to the business community in Derby, Derbyshire and the East Midlands resulted in his being awarded an Honorary Doctorate to add to his doctorate in engineering. He also found time to win some trophies for windsurfing at Carsington Water! This plaque encapsulates, in far fewer words than I’ve used today, his contribution whilst doing all of the above, to the voluntary sector, especially Back Dane. That contribution will have benefitted hundreds in the past and will benefit hundreds more in the future. It has been an honour and privilege to unveil the three plaques on behalf of the trustees and all associated with Back Dane. But it has been a greater honour and privilege to do so on behalf of all the Foxcroft family, John, Margaret, Nicola, Louise and Emma." Selection of the speeches read out by Graham Kirkham at the tribute to John held at Back Dane, 7th August 2021 |
|