Gordon Smart

Gordon was a big supporter of the Taverners work, and integral to the development of the Norfolk region over the past 15 years.

In 2011, we attended an engaging presentation by former Kent and England cricketer Matthew Fleming at The Strangers Club in Norwich. Attendees learned about the fascinating history of the charity and the work it was doing in communities across the UK and abroad. Inspired by the charity’s work, Gordon and I decided to join the Taverners as members.

At that time there were no Taverners events being arranged in Norfolk and only a handful of members. Motivated by this gap, we decided to establish a Norfolk group. Initially we formed as a subgroup of the East Anglia region and were helped tremendously by Bob Young, then Chair of East Anglia region.

Within 18 months, we’d managed to recruit over 100 new members and a number of high-profile supporters to help us raise awareness of our work locally, prompting the charity to invite us to become joint Chairs of a newly-formed independent Norfolk region in late 2012.

The region was officially launched in March 2013 with an event in the stunning Aviva Marble Hall in Norwich, and this was the first of many fundraisers that enabled us to raise funds for specially adapted minibuses, sports wheelchairs and sensory spaces for young people with a disability in Norfolk.

Gordon stepped down from the committee in 2016 but was honoured with the title of Norfolk President for a three-year period for his contribution to the charity in the region. He also assisted the central Taverners staff team with regional development for a few months during this time. While Gordon no longer took part in the Norfolk region’s planning, his support for events was enthusiastic and unwavering, often filling one and sometimes two tables with guests while providing prizes for raffles and auctions.

Gordon was admired and respected by everyone who knew him. He was very generous in his giving and dedicated to the Lord’s Taverners and will be sorely missed.

Gary Towers

Joint Founder and Former Regional Chair

Norfolk Lord's Taverners