Doug was a qualified accountant who trained with Palmer and Riley in Fareham before moving to Thorn Electronics. He joined Thorngate Almshouse Trust (as it was then) on 1 June 1996 and steered the Trust through a number of changes over the next 15 years including the expansion of the Russell Churcher Court care home in 2009.

Doug was also very active outside work, he was a founder member of Gosport Cricket Club and played as a wicket keeper for the club for nearly 50 years. Apart from cricket Doug was a true railway enthusiast, not only travelling by train all over the UK and Europe but an active member of the local railway society building steam locomotives and a diesel train which were exhibited.

Thorngate chairman Mark Hook commented, “Doug made a huge contribution to the way the Trust operates today. He was well known in the borough of Gosport and was well respected in the various fields in which he excelled, not least the cricket club.”

Thorngate chief executive Anne Taylor said, “I was fortunate to take over from Doug when I arrived at the Trust and he kept in touch with us visiting once or twice a year. Doug was a very kind man who was generous with his time not only to us here at the Trust but also with the other community groups he worked so hard to support. He had a substantial impact on the Trust’s direction in the time he served here which left it in good shape for his successors.”

Thorngate residents Doug and Pauline Potter worked with Doug when he was the Clerk here and said, “Doug was a very clever man who worked with us all to make a really great team. We thoroughly enjoyed working with him. He loved his trains and his cricket.”