Obituary – Nick Carter our Honorary Vice-President and long time committee member has sadly passed away.

Bromley-based international journalist and local community activist Nick Carter has died at his home in Beckenham, aged 83.

Born Anthony Carter, in London, he worked on the Daily Sketch and provincial newspapers including The Northern Echo and the Sheffield Telegraph & Star before returning to London to join Reuters, the international news agency, in 1953 and live at Hayes.

There he served Reuters World Services as Manager and Deputy Editor, in a career that also included reporter, sub-editor, Audio Editor, Production Editor, South East Asia Deputy Manager, Operations Manager and News Products Manager. He also spent five years as a BBC World Service editor and producer of Radio Newsreel.

Trained as a radar engineer during National Service in the RAF, he played a major role in the introduction of computers into Reuters news services, including the use of linked computers in London and Hong Kong so the two centres could take it in turns to control the news flow. On his return from three years in Asia he moved from Hayes to Dulwich and then in 1980 to Rectory Road in Beckenham.

After an intensive bout of world travel following his retirement from Reuters in 1987 he joined the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association Executive Committee in July 1988, later becoming editor of its widely-read newsletter The Express and, from 1994 to 2002, its Secretary.

In this role he represented it in a number of campaigns, like those to save and revive Beckenham Hospital as a modern medical centre with a Minor Injuries Unit and range of diagnostic facilities, though to his regret intermediate care beds were never set up in the top floor space originally urged for them.

He was also involved in CCARA campaigns to establish a Town Manager, restrain the granting of overnight alcohol licences, set up the Friends of Kelsey Park, instal Kent County Cricket Club on a threatened site in Copers Cope Road, and to renovate and put a Millenium plaque on the Victorian waterspout on the High Street atKelsey Square.

Retiring as Secretary and Editor, he served as vice-chairman till the age of 76, but returned for two years in his early 80s as honorary vice-President, to organise special meetings to find new volunteers to revive the association after a period of reduced activities.

He was married to Daphne, a former classmate at grammar school, with whom he celebrated their Diamond Wedding and 80^th birthdays in 2008. She survives him, together with their daughters Cheryl and Beverley and five adult grandchildren.

Nick’s funeral will be held on Tuesday, 24th April at 3.00 pm at Beckenham Crematorium, Elmers End Road.