A man who has dedicated 50 years to helping the poor and needy in his community has retired.

Douglas Smith, of Old Norwich Road, Horsham St Faith, worked tirelessly for the Fuel Allotments Charity making sure people in his village and Newton St Faith suffering hardships were helped.

'I look at myself as a village boy so I have always tried to help the parish people,' he said.

Mr Smith, 89, joined the charity in the 1960s and held the position of chairman from 1970 to 2010. He had spent much of his working life managing the crematorium at Horsham St Faith.

Since joining the charity as a parish councillor, Mr Smith says he has seen changes in the needs of the people the charity has helped. In the past it was traditionally older people who asked for assistance, but today the grandfather of five says it is a changing demographic.

The charity, which helps about 60 people a year, giving out to up £5,000, also had Mr Smith's wife, Patience, as its secretary for many years, before she stepped down four years ago.

Current chairman Paul Elsegood, 69, of Back Street, Horsham St Faith, paid tribute to the work Mr Smith has done. He said: 'We are indebted to him for his knowledge of the village, its residents and the affairs and difficulties during his period of office that the charity has encountered. As current chairman, I will miss his wisdom, sense of humour and recollections of days gone by enormously, but I know he will always welcome me at Old Norwich Road when I have a question or a problem with charity affairs. Our other trustees have expressed the same sentiments. I am sure that residents of Horsham and Newton, together with the parish council and the trustees would wish to thank Douglas for the care and consideration in all that he has done for the Fuel Allotment Charity, to the benefit of our community.'

Do you know somebody doing work in their community? Email locallife@archant.co.uk