Alan was one of the heroes of keeping Sidmouth going in 2005, taking charge of organising the campsite single-mindededly and almost single-handedly (and I'm not even sure of the 'almost' in saying that last bit!)

I recall standing windswept in February 2005 with him, Gordon Newton and Tom Addison surveying the field from the Bulverton marquee site musing on the adequacy of the latter, later assuring Gordon that this is where it had always been raised after its move from the Bowd site around the turn of the millennium.

The current organisers have much to thank him for.