Ralph remembered

Thursday 25th of March 2010

Nearly a year after the death of vendor Ralph Millward the community of Westbourne in Bournemouth where Ralph sold the magazine has unveiled a planter in his memory.

The planter, inscribed “Always time to shoot the breeze”, has been installed with the support of St Ambrose Church, Westbourne Traders Association, Safer and Stronger Communities, Operation Globe and Westbourne Neighbourhood Watch.

Among those who turned out to remember him was Maureen McNamara, who wore a black hat in his honour. “He wasn’t a man who had any thought for himself. He was always appreciative of any donation you made. He used to talk to me about his mother. He was very gentle and everyone respected him,” she said.

Neighbourhood Watch coordinator Annie Robertson said she and her husband used to chat to him about football every Saturday evening. “He was a lovely guy. He used to help the old ladies with their shopping,” she said.

Big Issue Foundation worker Colin Heath said: “This is a great show of community support. I was the last person to serve him. He was a gentle, nice bloke who always had his head in a book.

“I think he would be quietly pleased that he had so many friends, but he was a shy, retiring type. Shoot the breeze is definitely a Ralphism. He had plenty of time to talk to everyone.”

Three youths are due to go on trial charged with murder at Winchester Crown Court next month.