Tribute written on 22nd Sept. 2016 by the late Sue Gordon, Alan's wife, permission to share given by their daughters.

Alan was born in June 1956 and raised in Portadown, Northern Ireland. He attended Portadown College and went on to become a journalist with the Portadown Times and the Belfast Telegraph.

As a keen member of the Scout Movement from the age of eight, when the job of Editor of Scouting Magazine in London became available it was an opportunity he couldn't resist. It was at Scouting Magazine he met and married his wife Sue with whom he had two daughters, Helen and Lindsay.

From Scouting Magazine Alan moved on to be editor and publisher of several magazines in the hospitality, food service and baking industries. In 1991 he set up his own public relations and marketing company which he ran for 25 years.

Alan remained involved in Scouting throughout his life and for the last nine years dedicated his free time to helping to build Ash Green Scout Group from 12 members to 140 young people. There is no doubt that his love of children and dedication to Scouting has enriched the lives of many young people throughout the village.

Above all else, Alan loved his family. 'The girls' were a source of immense happiness and they never ceased to make him proud - whether they were taking part in dance competitions, learning to swim, graduating from university or becoming a teacher and a community learning disability nurse.

Alan couldn't wait to become a grandad - a dream that came true just eight days before he passed away. It is a source of some comfort that he got the chance to meet and hold Barney.

Alan suffered a sudden and unexpected heart attack on 6th September 2016 and, despite the efforts of the wonderful staff in the ITU at Darent Valley Hospital, he passed away on 9th September 2016.