Tony Hodson Tribute

Everyone at Muir was saddened to hear the news that Blackpool resident and Northern Regional Resident Forum Chairman Tony Hodson, passed away aged 77 following a battle with cancer.

 

Tony was a passionate advocate for and on behalf of residents – and believed that they should be at the heart of everything that Muir does. He was a founding member of our Northern Regional Residents Forum, and became its chair in 2010. Despite his illness, Tony continued to work tirelessly to improve the lives of his fellow residents.

 

David Hull, Muir’s Housing Services Project Lead, worked closely with Tony during his time as RRF chair:

 

“Whilst Tony’s passing was not unexpected, it is still incredibly sad,” said David.

 

“Throughout his battle with cancer, Tony always showed incredible strength, and refused to let it govern his life. The fact that Tony surprised his doctors by fighting the disease for longer than expected spoke volumes about his character.

 

“Tony was a decent man who in the time I knew him worked hard for the interests of all Muir residents. He took his involvement with Muir very seriously and was extremely successful in ensuring that the views of Muir’s residents’ were represented, and influenced the services we provide. 

 

“I had the pleasure of working very closely with Tony over the past five years. Tony was central to the success of our Regional Residents Forums, becoming chair of the Northern section. He built up a close friendship with his counterpart in for the Southern region, Ron Chambers, with whom he forged an effective partnership when it came to challenging the performance of Muir.

 

“Tony’s friendly, supportive and professional manner was a key factor in getting other residents to engage with Muir. In meetings Tony would always ensure that everyone had the opportunity to air their views. He had a keen sense of justice and fairness and would always communicate his views in a measured and thoughtful manner. He was never rash or dismissive.    

     

“I am sure that I speak for all of everyone at Muir when I say Tony will be sorely missed – not only as a colleague, but as a friend as well.”

 

Not only did Tony champion the rights of residents, but his fellow co-workers as well. Before his retirement, Tony worked as an engineer. When the TVR factory in Blackpool was threatened with closure in 2006, Tony fought passionately for the rights of staff.

 

Tony made a difference to people's lives, both directly through his work with Muir and in the wider community. He will be sadly missed by both the staff and residents he has worked alongside over the years.