A HALESWORTH councillor and passionate youth worker was fondly remembered on Friday when a picnic table was unveiled in his honour.Ian Kerrison, who was on the town council for 20 years, passed away in February last year following a long battle with cancer.

A HALESWORTH councillor and passionate youth worker was fondly remembered on Friday when a picnic table was unveiled in his honour.

Ian Kerrison, who was on the town council for 20 years, passed away in February last year following a long battle with cancer.

The council decided to honour his memory by purchasing a picnic table for the town park.

Halesworth Town Council vice-chairman James Wagner said that families would come to use the table, which would reflect Mr Kerrison's love of young people.

During a speech at the event, Councillor Wagner said: “Ian's death was a tragic loss to our community. He was truly an amazing ambassador for the youth of this town. His witty comments are greatly missed.

“This is a small but significant gesture to remember Ian Kerrison as a hard working member of the community who will be missed but never forgotten.”

Mr Kerrison was a youth worker for 30 years, and did much work for Halesworth's Apollo Youth Centre. He also put on discos at the town's middle school, which were very popular with the pupils.

He was chairman of the town council from 1993-95, and was instrumental in forging the town's twinning links with Eitorf in Germany and Bouchain in France.

Mr Kerrison's mother Rose was a guest of honour at the unveiling, and said that the bench was a nice tribute to Mr Kerrison. “He really really loved Halesworth,” she said.

She added that she would like to thank everyone for coming to the event, including many councillors as well as Mr Kerrison's friends and family.