A WELL known member of the community and owner of a leisure cruises company has passed away.

Owner and skipper of Avon Leisure Cruises, David Smith died November 7, aged 70. He was also known to some as skipper Dave.

Evesham Leisure Cruises will give Dave his last journey on one of his boats from Evesham, up the river to Fladbury with crew and friends for a service and burial on Wednesday November 28th.

Dave's wife Geraldine said: "He was a character. We ran Avon Leisure Cruises for 15 years. In that time he would skipper the boat on every occasion. So many people knew him."

The first boat the Dave and Geraldine began working on was their beloved Spirit of Freedom. The couple had sold the boat just before Dave passed away with plans to retire.

"The day before he died, they lifted the boat out of the water and it was just unbelievable because it was his life. It was pouring with rain and when they lifted the boat up, there was an amazing rainbow over the boat, it was unbelievable."

Instead of requesting flowers Geraldine has requested donations for Acorns Children’s Hospice, a charity close to Dave's heart as he used to put on free trips for the children every year.

Avon Leisure Cruises also took part in all the festivals in Evesham and always took the boat to Pershore for the Plum Festival. Geraldine said: "Boating was his life. Even up until he died he was still working on the boats."

Raphael's Restaurant owner Diana Rafael said: "He is going to be sorely missed, I shall miss him terribly. He was very, very good for the town, he brought a lot of tourism to the town. He was a lovely man and he had Evesham at heart. He did an awful lot for charity, he was a very generous man."

Councillor Val Wood said: "Dave was an outstanding figure in not only Evesham’s community but that of his home village of Fladbury and Pershore.

In Pershore where I live and help organize events, he was always there with a boat to supply river cruises for visitors for not only the Plum Festival but to show visitors from our twin towns in Germany and France the wonders of the Avon.

He was so proud of acquiring the Spirit of Freedom which allowed freedom of movement for those with physical difficulties on the boat as it had disabled access, and it seemed symbolic that he died as the Spirit moved from his ownership to a new home in Bristol. Dave was a true friend who will never be forgotten, always willing to assist with whatever problem needed solving and becoming an integral part of the local community."

Dave also had a passion for classic cars and had a collection of 38 of them.

Dave had previously worked for Upstart in Honeybourne.

His funeral service will be held at Fladbury Church.