David Benest sadly died of heart disease on 10 August 2020. David’s wife Genevieve and sister Jacquetta have expressed a wish that In Memorial donations be made to The Ulysses Trust.
David retired as a colonel in 2009, after an active and successful career in the British Army. Settling in the village of Manningford Abbots in Wiltshire, he realised that getting daily newspapers delivered in the area was a major difficulty. For some of the older local residents this represented a serious hardship. Something needed to be done!
In 2015, he offered his services as a paperboy to a local newsagent. His motivation was to provide a much-needed service to his local community but, to his surprise, he was paid for his work. Straight away, he decided to donate his earnings to charity, and chose The Ulysses Trust.
Established in 1992, The Ulysses Trust provides support and financial assistance to members of the UK’s Cadet Forces and Volunteer Reserve, undertaking challenging outdoor activities and other adventurous expeditions. As a former cadet, David knew first-hand how beneficial the cadet experience could be in shaping the lives of young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Trust would never be able to do what it does without the support of people like David. His dedication and countless early morning starts at 05:00 AM on most days of the week in all weathers was a great example of the grit and determination required of cadets on their expeditions. To provide a much-valued service to his local community whilst raising funds for charity also wonderfully reflected the values that the Trust seeks to impart to its beneficiaries.
In total David raised over £10,000 for The Ulysses Trust. It seems fitting that his fundraising can continue, via his memorial page, to support a cause that he cared about so deeply. If you would like to make a donation, please click the button below.
Thank you.
