Charity birthday bash in memory of former mayor who raised thousands for good causes
A charity birthday bash in memory of a former Market Drayton mayor and champion fundraiser is to be held just weeks after his funeral.
David Erwin was arranging his next charity birthday event even when he fell ill.
It is going to go ahead posthumously to mark his birthday in June, as an event commemorating him while raising yet more cash towards his efforts for good causes.
Mr Erwin, who was 85, served on the town council until 2017 – he was mayor in 2005-2006 – and was elected to the then Shropshire County Council in a by-election in 2008, representing Market Drayton. He was also a leading figure in the town's Royal British Legion.
He was born and brought up in rural Northern Ireland at Dromore, in County Down, one of eight children. A job with an electrical cable company brought him to England in the 1960s, where he met his future wife, Barbara, at a dance at the Crystal Ballroom in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
He went on to join the prison service, and it was promotion to being a senior officer which brought him to Market Drayton in 1982, working at the nearby Stoke Heath Young Offenders Institution, as it was then.
Son Matthew Erwin said: "When he came to Market Drayton he became heavily involved in the local Royal British Legion and was on the committee for 30 or so years, and was also chairman, and honorary vice president."
He had served in a Territorial Army unit in Northern Ireland – the 245th (Ulster) Regiment, Royal Artillery.
"During his time in the legion he raised thousands of pounds for various charities, with dances and so on – he did an awful lot of fundraising, mostly for medical-related causes, like Macmillan, Market Drayton medical practice, the doctors fund, Severn Hospice, and things like that. I can remember charity dances going back into the 1980s. He loved country and western.
"Even when he was poorly he was arranging his next birthday bash for charity. We are going to go ahead with it on June 25 as a commemorative birthday bash for him to raise a bit more for charity. It will be at the Royal British Legion in Market Drayton.
"He was a generous, selfless man, much loved by family and friends and will be sorely missed."
The event is being held on June 25 as it is the closest Saturday to the date of Mr Erwin's birthday, which was June 22.
Matthew said his father served four terms on the town council and added: "I followed in dad's footsteps as I am currently on the town council, and I also had a term as mayor."
David Erwin was a widower – Barbara died in February 2017 – and is survived by children Matthew and Nicola, and three grandchildren.
The funeral is at 11am at St Mary's Church, Market Drayton, on Monday, April 11.
