VASA mourns Vince Seaman

Added on Thu 1st Oct 2009 by Trevor (Marketing and Communications Manager)

VASA Trustees, staff and volunteers were shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden death of our President Vince Seaman on September 30.

He had been taken ill at a meeting at the Stratford District Council offices and died later. He was 72.

As a Trustee for more than 25 years and Treasurer and Chairman before becoming President, he played a huge role in VASA’s predecessor organisation, CVS/VBx becoming – as he put it – the “recognised leader of the voluntary sector”.

Vince’s association with CVS/VBx began when “Dave Roberts, my old jogging mate, persuaded me to join the Board to bring along, in his words, some extra business experience to the fledgling organisation”.

At that time, CVS/VBx had little assured income and survived on small handouts and fund raising, and operated from an office at the old Workhouse on the Stratford Hospital site.

He became Treasurer then Chairman in quick succession. “CVS/.VBx continued to survive on a hand to mouth basis and for a number of years relied heavily on volunteer staff in its four offices to maintain services”, he recalled last year.

Vince always acknowledged the work of Alan Bartlett and Clarissa Roberts in taking the two parts of the organisation from strength to strength and expanding services. But there is also no doubting his immense contribution.

Nor his dedication: even after 25 years as a Trustee, Vince said he still found it a “delight to serve on the Board with other members who have a wide range of skills and enthusiasm so essential to an organisation that will only survive if it is run on a sound business basis”.

Vince also played a prominent role in the wider community, especially Stratford town.

He was elected to Stratford District Council in 2003, and when Chairman in 2008-09 he characteristically chose the Volunteer Centre as one of his charities, and raised over £9,000 for the VC, Air Ambulance and Marie Curie. The Centre bought eight new wheelchairs with its share.

Vince was also a Stratford town councillor for 11 years and was Mayor of Stratford in 2002. He stepped down from the Stratford Town Trust in 2008 having been chairman for a number of years. His wife Joy, also a town councillor, is a strong supporter of VASA as well.

VASA Chief Officer Julia Phillips said: “Vince’s contribution to VASA, its predecessor organisation CVS/VBx and the voluntary and community sector generally in the District is incalculable, and his involvement as a Trustee for more than 25 years showed an extraordinary commitment.

“As first Treasurer, then our Chairman he played a hugely-important role in building up CVS/VBx to become the lead organisation for the sector, providing a number of services essential to the community and working with councils and others as a valued and respected partner.

“His enthusiasm never waned, he provided invaluable experience and wise counsel to me personally as President, and he was always an unswerving ambassador for the sector and volunteering. Everyone at VASA – Trustees, staff and volunteers – will miss him greatly, as will many, many volunteers across the District”.