TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Scout leader from Tadley.

Michael Broad was the Scout leader for the 24th Basingstoke and Tadley groups, as well as a Tadley town councillor and founder member of the Calleva Life Saving Club.

The 88-year-old died on February 9.

His wife, Ann, who was married to Michael for 62 years, described her husband as having a “dry sense of humour”.

The 84-year-old first met Michael after he completed national service in Cyprus as a radio mechanic.

Ann said: “He joined the 1st Chessington Scout Group when he was 14 and he came back to the group after national service and I had just joined as a helper with the Cub Scout pack and it went from there. I was 17 and he was 21.”

The couple married on June 22, 1957, and moved to Basingstoke 10 years later for Michael’s job with the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), which saw him travel to Australia for atom bomb tests.

The pair first lived in a caravan for six months before moving into AWE housing in Oakridge Road, and became involved with Scouting in the town.

Michael and Ann moved to Tadley 10 years later in 1967, where they remained since.

Explaining what Michael loved about Scouting, Ann, a retired teacher, said: “He loved the outdoor life, he liked camping and could sleep anywhere on anything. We used to go out to Luxenberg for two weeks with the Scouts.”

In 1970 Michael set up the Calleva Life Saving Club for training Scouts and Guides, which started at The Hurst School before moving to Cranbourne School in Basingstoke.

It offered young people vital water safety training, and continued for 46 years until 2016.

Michael stood as a town councillor in Tadley following his retirement, and acted as a liaison between AWE and the council.

He was also a school governor and a member of the Community Committee at AWE, overseeing the distribution of money given by AWE to charitable causes.

“He was very precise in all of the organising and kept good records and he enjoyed teaching,” said Ann, adding: “We didn’t have any children so that kept us in touch with younger people. We kept in touch with lots of them.”

Ann said her husband loved skiing in his spare time, and went on numerous skiing holidays abroad, as well as teaching pupils from a local school to ski.

She said he didn’t care what other people thought of him, recalling an occasion when he wore a tiger onesie outside.

“I said you can’t wear that! I only let him wear it with a jacket over the top,” laughed Ann.

Both Ann and Michael were presented with a Good Citizen Award from Tadley Town Council.

Tadley South ward councillor for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, David Leeks, also paid tribute to Michael, who used to be his Scout leader.

He said: “He had a very dry sense of humour. He would say something then a few minutes later you would think, that’s a joke. He was very active in the community and would help anyone.”