ALBERT Hankers, a former president of Haslemere Chamber of Commerce and who was deeply involved in the life of the town, has died aged 80.

His long assocation with Haslemere began in June 1978 when he joined the Concours Motors Company, where he was service manager. He joined the relaunched Haslemere and District chamber as company representative and served as president from 1994-96, during an eventful era which saw Tesco open its first supermarket in Haslemere at Wey Hill.

Paying tribute, current president Craig McGowan said: “Albert was the seventh president and, as president and a long standing member, before and after, he did much to build the chamber into the strong champion of Haslemere and the business community it is today.

“It was his idea to start up the annual St George’s Day window dressing competition.”

Albert will also be fondly remembered both in Haslemere and its twin town Bernay in France, for enduring friendships made through ‘The Pigs’ group, officially known as The Confrère de la Queue du Cochon (Tail of the Pig).

From 2000, he helped form the Haslemere branch of The Royal Society of St George (RSSG). He served as chairman and secretary and in 2016 was made joint honorary president. In 2006 he was appointed to the RSSG’s national council and subsequently to the RSSG’s charitable trust.

Albert and his wife Shirley moved to West Moors in Dorset six years ago. Shirley said: “Albert will be missed by a great many people whose lives he had so generously touched. He continued to assist young people not only to better themselves but to achieve a greater understanding of life.

“He helped with the first affiliation between the RSSG and schools. The first being Camelsdale Primary School and the second St Ives School. He was a devoted father to Philip and Jane and a devoted ‘Grumps’ to his four grandsons and three step-grandchildren. Please raise a glass to a man in a million.”

? Donations to RSSG Charitable Trust can be posted to: Nicholas O’Hara Funeral Directors, 128 Station Road, West Moors, Dorset BH22 0JB.