Tributes have been paid to a former Norwich City directors who has died, aged 85

The Pink Un: Gavin Paterson escorting the Queen Mother at the opening of the Worstead village hall.Gavin Paterson escorting the Queen Mother at the opening of the Worstead village hall. (Image: Submitted)

Farmer, Worstead Festival lynchpin, football fan and family man Gavin Paterson had a huge and beneficial impact on both the north Norfolk community where he lived, and further afield.

Mr Paterson, who has died aged 85, was a founder of, and driving force behind, the Worstead Festival, which marked its 50th anniversary this year.

As a major local landowner, he felt a duty to support his community and dedicated himself to that role for the rest of his life, earning an MBE for his services to Worstead in 2006.

Originally established to raise money for repairs to Worstead Church tower, the festival grew to become one of the landmark events on Norfolk's summer calendar.

The Pink Un: A model of Gavin Paterson, playing the bagpipes and with a penny farthing, which he used to ride around Worstead Festival in earlier years. Picture: SUBMITTEDA model of Gavin Paterson, playing the bagpipes and with a penny farthing, which he used to ride around Worstead Festival in earlier years. Picture: SUBMITTED (Image: Archant)

Over the past five decades festival proceeds have also paid for a new village hall in Worstead, named in honour of the Queen Mother, who opened it, and have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for other good causes in the parish and surrounding areas.

He spent 39 years as chairman of the festival trustees before retiring and becoming a life president. He and his wife Marcia never missed a festival, planning holidays and harvest around it. The event's main arena is Worstead Playing Field, owned by Mr Paterson's Worstead Estate and leased to the parish council for £1 per year.

He served as a Worstead parish councillor for more than 50 years, stepping down in May this year.

Born in Rushall, south Norfolk, he came to Worstead with his family as a small boy. His father James had moved from Scotland in the 1920s to farm in Norfolk, beginning as a modest tenant farmer and acquiring land over the years through hard work and agricultural expertise. The Estate today covers about 2,000 acres in Smallburgh, Worstead and Tunstead.

The Pink Un: Gavin Paterson in the EDP on October 29 1970Gavin Paterson in the EDP on October 29 1970 (Image: Archant)

Mr Paterson was proud of his father and his Scottish ancestry. He was a skilled bagpipe player and became honorary piper to the Norfolk Caledonian Society.

The young Gavin was an active member of Aylsham Young Farmers' Club and in 1952 visited the Dairy Show in London with them.

Back home, encouraged by his father, he and herdsman George Clare picked out two cows to prepare for the following year's show. One, a Friesian called Smallburgh Brenda, went on to win the event's Supreme Champion award.

Over the following years Gavin and his father built up a pedigree Friesian herd, later Holsteins, which won many prizes.

In 1970, with milker Lyngate Carlink II, Gavin Paterson and his herdsman Arthur Clare walked away again with the Supreme Champion award at the last London Dairy Show, repeating the success of their fathers.

Among many titles and honours, Mr Paterson was a president of the national Holstein Society, and was awarded a fellowship by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association.

It was with enormous sadness that he sold his pedigree herd in 2011, although some of the animals were retained by his sons Gavin, Alex and Bruce, who have taken over the farm and estate.

Mr Paterson was a keen Norwich City supporter and served as a club director for more than a decade, later becoming a vice-president.

In July he published his autobiography: Breeding Success My Life as a Norfolk Farmer, written in association with author and award-winning journalist Mark Nicholls.

A funeral service for Mr Paterson will be held at St Mary's Parish Church, Worstead, on Wednesday December 16 at 11.30am. Family flowers only. Donations to Marie Curie Cancer Care or Norfolk agricultural charity The Clan Trust.