Peter Fale

10th December 1935 - 15th January 2014

It was with great sadness we heard that Peter Fale had died on Wednesday 15th January. He spent his last days in Blandford Community Hospital after a long battle with cancer.

Peter was a true friend for many years and we shared some of his pursuits. These included orienteering, mountain bike orienteering, cycling, pilates, voluntary work for The Friends of Blandford hospital and latterly choral singing! Peter was a keen walker and had some interesting outings when he and Grace stayed in their lodge in Scotland. Peter enjoyed canoeing on the River Stour in Bryanston and in the sea at Kimmeridge.

Peter was passionate about cycling, for many years he and a friend would take their bikes to the continent, tour many miles in the mountains, have their meals in a restaurant and then return to their tiny tents and camp for the night. He continued with his cycling almost to the end of his life, going out every week with friends from orienteering and other walks of life. He also really enjoyed mountain bike orienteering.

Peter joined Wimborne Orienteers whilst he was teaching maths and outdoor pursuits at Bryanston School. He was a reliable, supportive and enthusiastic club member, would always compete for the Club in the Compass Sport Cup and take part in Club relays. He would help with mapping, organising, planning and liaising with Bryanston School for access to the grounds for events. Peter introduced his sons and their families to orienteering and his wife Grace would often walk the junior course with her grandchildren. Over the past few years Peter was a great help when we, on behalf of the Club, had to organise and plan Mountain Bike Orienteering events.

When we moved to Blandford in 2004 Peter was the Chairman of The Friends of Blandford Hospital and he soon persuaded us to become volunteers. We have always been impressed by Peter's voluntary commitment in time and energy also to the NHS in Dorset, attending numerous meetings and always striving to improve the services for local people in their local hospital at Blandford. Peter has spent the past few years promoting the reconfiguring of Portman Ward at Blandford Hospital a project 'The Friends' are to support financially with a sum in excess of half a million pounds. Peter was pleased to hear on the morning he died that this project is to start very soon.

We have all lost a true friend and our thoughts and best wishes are now with Grace, Alistair and Andy and their families.

Trevor and Madeleine

Peter at Shillingstone Hill, October 2012, flanked by Trevor Bridle and Cris Tween