Tributes paid to much-loved Shrewsbury homeless centre trustee
A man who dedicated his life to helping the homeless in Shropshire and further afield has died.
Howard Hutchings first became involved with Shrewsbury Ark when he made corned beef hash for the clients but he quickly went on to be named Chair of Trustees.
His devotion to working with those members of the community that are less fortunate than most will be a lasting legacy, Ark manager Tim Compton.
"Howard will be hugely missed by all members of the Ark community," he said.
"His compassion for all people was shown through many years of serving those in need; from his time at the Good Shepherd in Wolverhampton, to his shifts at the men’s night shelter in Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury.
"When he first applied to volunteer at the Ark he made a very brief statement regarding his Christian duty - Howard’s faith was not something for him to take personal pride in, or simply a badge to wear, rather a solid core of humility, that informed many of his actions.
Motivation
"This humility was never more present than when he was invited to become Chair of the Ark Trustees and his initial response was to look around for someone he considered ‘more qualified’.
"He accepted these roles as an honour, never as a right, though if any had a right, it was Howard, and I can think of no-one better qualified for this service.
"Howard's motivation can be summed up in his own words; 'Surely it is because of our sense of common humanity, that we reach out to the most disadvantaged in our communities'.
"He was an immensely popular and valuable part of the Ark team, working tirelessly, offering 'tough love' and a commitment to provide a wonderful atmosphere of safety, support and compassion.
"For us, at The Ark, we will remember Howard for his huge love of all members of our society – no matter where they were from, what they had done or how they behaved. It was through his many acts of service and kindness to those in need, that Howard showed us all how to love and look after each other.”
The funeral will take place on May 24 at the United Reformed Church, English Bridge at 2.30pm.
