A campaigner who has stood up for the rights of people in the Royston area for the last decade is saying farewell this week.
Terry Hutt, 79, of is packing his bags for a new life in the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare after ten years living in Bridge Street, Whaddon.
A familiar face thanks to the stall he ran in Royston high street for several years, he has pioneered many campaigns about issues such as public toilets, disabled access and free public transport for the elderly, Mr Hutt said he is looking forward to a “new challenge”.
He said: “We’re hoping to get the keys to our new home this week. I’m moving with my family; we had a business here that’s unfortunately gone down the pan – we could have lost everything but we decided to pull the plug and start again.”
Mr Hutt will be moving with his wife, Joy, daughter Tracey, son-in-law Mark and his three grand-children.
He said he plans to continue his campaigning work in Somerset.
“I’ve already met the mayor down there, and I’m going to be helping with the campaign to re-open an old lido called Tropicana,” he said.
“I will still be coming back to this area occasionally, and will be going up to London to help the pensioners there.”
Mr Hutt has been a staunch supporter of the initiative to save Royston Hospital, as well as successfully convincing Barclay’s Bank in the town to install a disabled ramp.
Reflecting on his favourite campaigns from the last decade, he said: “I remember when I first set my stall up outside Woolworths in Royston High Street and was told I couldn’t do it. Well, I did.
“I think my favourite campaign is the free transport for elderly people – that wouldn’t have happened without people like me - and anything to do with helping the NHS, because they’ve saved my life on numerous occasions.
“It’s not about me though, my campaigns are just about helping people, and if I can make a little difference in someone’s life, I’m happy.”
Mr Hutt is also a committed royalist, and is known as ‘The Union Jack man’ due to his penchant for dressing in head-to-toe red, white and blue for special occasions.
Last year he spent 12 days camped outside St Mary’s Hospital in London waiting for the birth of Prince George.
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