Goodbye my Friend David Bird

Please leave your condolances below

It is a sad day form me and the world of angling with the loss of Dave.

I fully support and agree with Mike Heylin's Obituary and have reproduced it below.


Phil Hackett

It is with the greatest regret that we have to inform you that David Bird a good old friend and a tireless Champion for angling and fisheries died this morning, August 18th 2010.

David was a past President of the National Federation of Anglers and until the formation of the Angling Trust in 2009 was Chairman of the Specialist Anglers' Alliance.

David started the concept of Information Sheets when he was President of NFA and they were later taken on by NAFAC. Angling Trust now publishes them, so his original idea lives on.

David was a very dear friend, mentor and a special inspiration for many of us involved in the administration and development of angling organisations. He had done it all in angling, been a successful match angler, match organiser, club secretary, NFA rep, President of the NFA, Conservation Director of the ATA, chairman of the SAA and finally chairman of the Fish Welfare Group, of which he was immensely proud.

He enjoyed nothing more than his trips to Kenya hunting marlin, sailfish and other exotics with Maggie his wife and was looking forward to the next only last week.

He became President of the NFA at a time when change was needed and gave his health to that struggle. He was only in the job a short time before it took its toll and he had to resign. But he never gave up the fight for stronger representation of the sport he loved so dearly.

He had fought for angling for over thirty years and it was his life.

He and I worked closely together for many years, had many and frequent massive rows about policy but never once did those arguments dent our friendship. I last saw David at the Game Fair, an annual pilgrimage for him. He was obviously not well and waiting the results of some medical tests. He and I shared a cup of tea and we spoke at length but he no longer had the energy I knew him for. He had planned today (Wednesday) to have a living wake because he didn't want us to have a funeral for him that he would not remember. He would have enjoyed having his friends around him one more time. He died only three hours before we were due to see him again.

He was formative in the development of the Fish Welfare Group which exists today and carries on the work he started. He, along with others, defended angling when it was under attack from the animal rights movement and remained vigilant to the danger of personal attacks on his home.

David had an opinion on everything, from Europe and the Common Fisheries Policy to the international needs of fish and angling and anglers. He had a world vision, was well read in his subject and had an incisive and agile mind in developing new ideas and carrying them into fruition. David was not everyone's cup of tea, but he was a dear friend and I was proud and privileged to know him. When we were together we both felt we had known each other for ever and we were brothers.

The world is a poorer place for his leaving us but we are all richer for the fact that he was here. It is our responsibility as anglers to continue so much of what David started.

I hope he can now find the peace he could not find in life.

God bless you David.

Michael Heylin

Chairman

Never new the man or heard of him for that matter how ever from reading that he seemed that a decent person and did alot for fishing and fish shame there are not more people like him

What a great loss, lovely bloke David and I know you were close to him Phil, how sad, its really hit home hearing about that, my very deepest sympathies, he couldnt have been that old. He did so much for angling I`d be surp[rised if not many had heard of him., or the work he did. It seems like only yesterday I spoke to him, what a great loss.

Sad loss
RIP David

For those wishing to show their respects, in Davids words,
"Tell 'em to forget the cards and flowers Lockie, just get 'em to bung something to Stoney instead"

So, if you would care to "bung something Stoney's way" in memory of David and at the same time help those still living with cancer, please click on the link below and donate where you can.

Thank you in advance

Ruth Lockwood is fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support.
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A man who cared about angling, R.I.P.

RIP fellow angler.

RIP

Too short a time on the bank

Gutted. Truly gutted. A real loss.
Hats off to him for all the fantastic effort he put into the sport on behalf of anglers everywhere. I know those on the FWG will particularly miss him, his enthusiasm and his phone calls.
My condolences to them and to David's family and friends.

I am assuming that this is the same Dave Bird that I knew a few years back, who was still quite a young man. R I P.

All anglers owe David a debt greater than we are likely to realise.

He worked hard for all of us for most of his life.

I'm gonna miss having him around.

David's widow, Maggi, has organised a beautiful tribute website in loving memory of her husband.

If you wish to contact Maggi, pay your respects, donate to David's chosen charity, share your photos and stories or actively contribute to a celebration of Davids life, please click the updated link below:

David Bird - the last word — written with love...
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A great loss to angling........

I had the privilege and pleasure of been associated with David back in the early 1980's when we were both working as commission agents in the tackle trade. A great man, totally committed to the sport and who did not suffer fools gladly. I just hope that he is enjoying being in a place where you never have a blank day and the sun is always shining.