ONE cannot have escaped the tributes paid nationally to Charles Kennedy, the former Liberal Democrat leader. He was a politician who now seems to have crossed all political divides and, quite rightly so, is being held up as a real human being.

I trust that you will allow a local tribute arising from Charles Kennedy’s visit in June 2000 to Weymouth, your archives of June 20 and July 10, 2000 contain reports of that visit.

It was a boiling hot Saturday and Charles had got stuck on the then notorious route from Dorchester to Weymouth hence his late arrival, but it gave him first hand experience of the need for the Weymouth relief road.

When I greeted Charles his first concern was for the people waiting for him inside a hot and musty hall at Wey Valley School.

He asked me: ‘How do you think they will take to having the meeting outside in the open air?’ Well it was put to the vote and the meeting was held in the sunshine and fresh air.

Charles Kennedy was never stuffy or pompous, he brought a smile to people’s faces. On that hot Saturday in June he did just that to those many folk who had come to meet and listen to him.

He spoke in his shirt sleeves to an audience sat in groups on the grass. He joined those groups and chatted to them as ice cream was eaten. He used straight forward language to put his points across and in doing so he gave hope and refreshment to all those he came into contact with.

Charles Kennedy was a force for good and above all he demonstrated that he cared for people first and foremost.

That is his gift and his legacy to all of us who encountered him and it is the gift we should seek to share with others.

The Rev Brian Ellis

Honorary Alderman

Weymouth and Portland