THE life of community figure and founder of Swindon’s HIV centre Tom Harris will be celebrated at his funeral on May 14.

Born in 1935 in the Dominican capital of Roseau, he emigrated to Britain in 1958 where he joined the RAF and travelled extensively, being posted to Cyprus, Singapore, and Aden in South Yemen as a corporal in air movements.

It was while he was working as a clerical officer for the Science Research Council that he learned about equal opportunities and anti-racism.

Then in 1988 he started a drop-in centre with the charity the Swindon Project for Aids Counselling and Education (SPACE) for people with HIV and Aids in the town. He managed it with volunteers for seven years.

He told the Adver in 2007: “At the time there seemed to be a need to get the message across about HIV and Aids. My aim was to encourage people not to reject those who were affected.”

Tom, who was 83 when he died on March 14, was the co-founder and later chair of the Swindon Black History Group and secretary for the Caribbean Lunch club, later renamed at his suggestion as the United Community Lunch Club to include Swindon’s diverse communities.

“He was a man of many talents,” said Gloria Bishop who worked with him at the lunch club. “Tom always had time to talk to and encourage people, and he loved a good joke. He loved his Caribbean roots, food, music and art. We have a great respect and love for Tom, He will be missed by all at the lunch club.”

A keen artist most of his life, he had his work exhibited at the Dominican High Commission in 2017. After retiring in 2001 he visited schools in Swindon as a storyteller of African and Caribbean folk-tales and performed in plays at the Create studio in the Wyvern Theatre.

Friend Andy Marcer at the Beehive pub, where Tom once exhibited his paintings, said: “Whatever was going on he always had this aura of calm about him. He was an absolutely marvellous story teller. I don’t know if it was his accent or deep voice, it just grabbed you, it didn’t really matter what he was talking about. He was really big in the community and everybody knew him.”

Tom’s funeral is on May 14 at 12.45pm at Kingsdown Crematorium, with a celebration at Broadgreen Community Centre, then at the Beehive from 4pm.