Clive Stone (7 October 1947-2 June 2016) was awarded an MBE for services to cancer patients in 2011. He worked tirelessly in setting up the government’s Cancer Drugs Fund; and in recognition of this he was nominated to carry the Olympic Torch through Woodstock in 2012. Having joined a bank as a school leaver, he was told that promotion was unlikely because he was brought up on a council estate. Yet his five years in Eynsham certainly proved them wrong.
Locally, he set up a kidney patients’ group at the Churchill Hospital and served on a committee looking into hospital food. He gave emotional support and practical advice to many who phoned to ask for help; contributed weekly columns for the Oxford Mail on cancer related issues; and appeared in a series of TV programmes about cancer and other medical conditions.
Clive also helped to set up Eynsham Good Neighbour Network in September 2013, after many months’ work behind the scenes. He brought invaluable experience and advice to a very capable committee. He stepped down only as his cancer continued to progress.
In his last few years his two young granddaughters, together with his Christian faith and enduring sense of humour, helped to see him through times of increasing pain and weakness.
Clive was always good company and a good guest at anyone’s dinner table. When asked what he did before retiring he would say “a banker” followed immediately by “not the modern type!”
His presence is missed in Eynsham by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Many other tributes were gathered by the Oxford Mail, along with this photo from Woodstock (click on the image for a larger version),
The main photo above appeared on the service sheet for a celebration of his life on 16 June 2016.