Death of scarecrow organiser

Jun 4 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

TRIBUTES were paid last night to a business leader who helped organise one of the most unique events in the North East calendar.

Roger Peat was well-known throughout the region as a self-employed accountant who worked for a number of years with Project North East (PNE) helping new businesses to set up.

The 63-year-old, who lived in Norham, near Berwick, Northumberland, was also one of the organisers of an annual event in which the village is populated by hundreds of scarecrows.

Mr Peat, a father of three, died on May 27 in Wansbeck Hospital after losing his battle with bone marrow cancer.

Husband to the late Susan, he leaves three children who all live in the south of the country, Charles, Katy and Alastair.

Alastair said yesterday: “We were very proud of the work he did in the local community and in his business life. People have told me their lives were better for knowing him, and I’m very proud to have called him Dad.”

Mr Peat’s partner, Sally Bell added: “He was very kind and very thoughtful. They broke the mould with Roger, he’ll be gone but never forgotten.”

Mr Peat was raised in the Darlington area and moved south with his family in the early 80s before returning to the North East in the mid-1990s.

Norham and Islandshires councillor Dougie Watkin said: “He was very active in the pantomime community and took a leading role on the scarecrow committee.

“He was very willing to help organise things and will be a great loss to the community.”

Former colleague Ian Thompson, group accountant at the PNE Group, said: “We were devastated when we heard. He was a great guy, a genuine bloke and a good laugh, but very serious when he needed to be.”

Mr Peat’s funeral service takes place tomorrow at the West Road Crematorium in Newcastle at 11.30am.

The family have asked that any donations are made to the Chemo for Berwick appeal at Berwick Infirmary, TD15 1LT.