A community-spirited Burnham-On-Sea pensioner has sadly passed away at the grand age of 95.
Frank Burton retired to Burnham with his wife Dorothy in 1985 and was Secretary of the Highbridge Festival of the Arts several times and also its Chairman.
They had lived in the town when they were young and had met at the Youth Club, attending music club evenings, and they married here in 1952.
After a career in the Civil Service, Frank and Dorothy returned to Burnham and became involved in local activities.
They ran a WRVS shop in Burnham Nursing Home and at Frith House.
Frank also organised and ran a volunteer laundry service for people who needed help, which took place in Frith House and then Beverley Cottage, a seafront care home.
He also helped organise transport for the Sunday Lunch Club that was held at Frith House for people who received Meals on Wheels during the week.
This event helped those people meet others and have a communal time once a week. Frank helped coordinate the volunteer drivers locally that would take people to all sorts of destinations: hospital appointments, daily care home visits etc.  This service was run from Bridgwater and Frank was always keen to find volunteers to help this project.
Frank and Dorothy joined the Highbridge Festival of the Arts and helped with the running of this event for many years.
Frank was Secretary of the Festival several times and also Chairman. He was also a keen member of Probus. He also helped with the local Macmillan Cancer group.
Frank and Dorothy were members of the St Andrew’s Church congregation in Burnham and also volunteered as guides at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells.
Dorothy was a member of the Mother’s Union and the Knit’n’Natter group and a fundraiser for the Mission for Seafarers. Dorothy was also a reader with the Talking Newspaper project that helped the local, visually impaired people to receive news.
When Dorothy passed away. Frank went to live with his daughter and son in law in Wisbech. He spent his final years helping at his son-in-law’s church in the town.
