Our Dear Friend Tony Sharpe
We lost our dear friend Tony Sharpe on Friday 9th October 2026. Tony had been a trustee of the Ark for over 20 years and a volunteer for much longer. Until only a few months before his death he was a regular visitor to the day centre, helping to run art classes and making everyone he spoke to feel loved and important. He is truly missed.
Current Patron, former Chair of trustees and long time friend of Tony's, Rev Chris Walker, has written the following tribute to a man who really was the best of us:
Speak to anyone who knew Tony in any way and the response is the same, "AH.........Dear Tony", the most wonderful person you could possibly meet, always gentle and kind, he would just sit with me and talk. I never felt judged, he listened and supported, if I was really in a bad way he would just sit with me, and then if appropriate he might gently say a prayer and it was never embarrassing, it was who he was .
He was always around, never made promises he knew he might not be able to keep, but was completely trustworthy. Even when his wife was very ill, he couldn't keep away from the Ark.
"We all felt better when he was around" one of the staff said to me. "I have been homeless, but what I have received from the Ark and Tony has given me a life I want to share with others who need help. When he came in he would always ensure he gave time to everyone, clients , volunteers, everyone."
For some he became a life guide, including for some of his ex pupils. When someone died he was the first to ensure everything was done to support their friends and family.
Tony brought all his teaching skills, his art, his abilities as a head teacher, his gentle but absolute faith in running simple Bible classes. These were his driving forces in life, total giving of love and compassion for anyone caught up on the very edge of life. Anyone isolated, excluded diminished by the cruelties of life.
The base ground on which he built this love and hope was his faith. Thank God for the gift of his servant Tony, and for his gift to each of us. For as Tony would say "We are all very precious and utterly loved".
