Inquest opened into death of well-known Shropshire fundraiser who made people smile
An inquest has been opened and formally adjourned into the death earlier this month of a relentless volunteer and fundraiser.
Roger David Whitting, aged 66, from Monkmoor Road, Oswestry, died at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital 10 days after he was discovered in a "poor medical state" at his home on October 15.
Senior Shropshire Coroner John Ellery heard that Mr Whitting was taken to the intensive therapy unit at the hospital and medics determined he should be placed on end of life care. He died at the hospital on October 25.
Mr Ellery was told that police who were called to Mr Whitting's home on October 15 found that the circumstances were not suspicious.
Sitting at the Coroner's Court at Shirehall, in Shrewsbury on Tuesday, Mr Ellery formally adjourned the full inquest to take place on February 15, 2024.
Tributes were paid to Mr Whitting who used an electric wheelchair to get around, and was well known in Oswestry for transforming his chair into fancy dress when out fundraising.
Oswestry Cambrian Rotary led the tributes on social media.
Mr Whitting was a leading campaign for people with disabilities and was past chairman of the Oswestry Access Group.
He was best known in the town for lighting up his electric wheelchair each Christmas to collect funds for charity.
A past president of Oswestry Cambrian Rotary club he transformed the chair into a mini Santa sleigh one year and a fully illuminated Christmas tree another, complete with a charity collection bucket.
He said at the time: "I like to bring a smile to people's faces."
Mr Whitting also sold poppies raising funds for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.
Friend, Mike Lade said Mr Whitting was also more recently a regular helper for the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital League of Friends.
"He was an amazing man who has had an extraordinary and eventful life," he said.
