THE man who saved Seend Community Centre from financial collapse was remembered on Friday as its hall was rededicated in his honour.

Peter Fisher moved to the village with his wife Patricia almost 40 years ago and soon found himself at the heart of community life, designing the beacon for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and orchestrating the campaign to save the hall in the 1990s.

The Peter Fisher Hall was officially named in a ceremony on Friday, when a plaque was unveiled to remember the former club president, who died in April, aged 87.

Committee member Tessa Doe said: “We had 30-40 people there who worked with Peter on the community centre or were personal friends.

“Unofficially the decision was made a long time ago, but officially it was at a committee meeting a few months back. I think it was a foregone conclusion though, we all knew we wanted to do something for Peter.

“The hall was in financial difficulties and Peter decided to do something about it. He called a public meeting and declared we should change it from a social club to a community centre.

“He would come along on Fridays when we have a maintenance team in doing odd jobs. He was always there well into his eighties climbing ladders and painting ceilings.”

Before moving to the village Mr Fisher was vice chairman of Avon Rubber in Melksham, which he joined as a young chemist. He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2012, which he received from Sarah Troughton, Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire in a ceremony last summer.