Rodney Cottrell BEM

Rodney Cottrell BEM

Rodney Cottrell BEM will be fondly remembered for many things but particularly his exceptional service to the Cheshire community in which he lived.

As the charismatic and charming Chairman of the RNLI's Crewe and Nantwich Fundraising Branch and more recently as the inspirational Founding Chairman of Overwater Wheelyboat Services, a charity providing transport and trips afloat on the canal for disabled people, he provided hands on leadership with a great ability to attract volunteers to help him.

Rodney redeployed his well-honed business and marketing skills to charity fundraising with great success – nobody said no to Rodney! His ability to turn almost anything into a fundraising stream for local organisations such as ADCA, Probus and the Scouts and Guides was legendary and will be irreplaceable.

Always working in harmony with his wife, Christine, whose wisdom and loyal support for over 60 years made them a team to be reckoned with.

Rodney's unstinting and selfless charity work over decades has been recognised by many organisations culminating in his well deserved award of the British Empire Medal in Her Majesty's 2020 New Year's Honours List.

We have lost a humble and kindly man whose focus has always been on the welfare of others in the community he loved so much.

Rodney's funeral will take place at St. James Church on October 29th at 11.00am followed by interment at Audlem Cemetery.
Because of COVID the numbers in the Church are restricted but people, particularly from organisations with which Rodney has been involved, may wish to pay their respect by lining the route from the Church to the Cemetery, observing socially distancing rules.

In addition, the family are arranging a video of the ceremony which AudlemOnline is hoping to stream live. We will give details of the appropriate link in a few days.