George Winston Saunders (1 Apr 1952 - 14 Apr 2019)

George Saunders was a quiet self-effacing chap who has devoted the majority of his working life to furthering the needs of the disabled community in Norwich and Norfolk. He was struck down with a very rare post viral condition called the Guillain-Barre syndrome in 1987 and this left him permanently wheelchair bound.

George had enjoyed an enviable time as a young man; following his time at Bath University, where he gained his degree in Geophysics with ease; he enjoyed a gap year or two. (I haven’t had mine yet!) He was a skilled mechanic and set about completely rebuilding motorcycles upon which he explored many parts of Europe with his friends. He funded his travelling through a wide variety of part time roles. Overnight accommodation was often a tent or sleeping under the stars if weather permitted.

However it soon became clear to George that he needed to build himself a career and he set off to apply his geophysics skills aboard offshore oil rigs, still a relatively new concept in those days. His job took him to many countries in Asia, including Japan and Malaysia.

Before he was 30 George had therefore become a well-travelled and successful individual and had already seen and experienced far more than most of his peers could have dreamed of. He had his own yacht and a sports car – both were canary yellow.

Following George’s tragic encounter with the Guillain-Barre syndrome, he lost a great deal of his mobility but was wonderfully supported by the John Groome Court here in Norwich which helped him to rebuild his life and regain his independence.

George recovered to an inspiring degree firstly moving into his own bungalow here in Norwich, learning to drive again and then he set out to give back to the community. He achieved this through harnessing his intellectual and organisational skills to raise the profile of disabled people in Norwich.

He has given almost 30 years to champion the need for greater visibility and equality for such causes within the County of Norfolk and many have already told me how much he will be missed. He would often be seen in pubs, restaurants and hotels assessing the accessibility of such venues for people on wheels.

He has served in too many organisations to name but some of the key ones were; Norwich Access Group, Norfolk Coalition Shopmobility, Broads Access Advisory Group, Pathmakers.

Of particular importance to George was the completion of the Boudicca Way Boardwalk, enabling full wheelchair access to one of the most picturesque walks in Norfolk.

What about George as a person – he was a humble man and very kindly to others. He loved nature and spent a great deal of time in his garden ensuring that it looked its best and was keen to ensure that birds and more recently bees (he had 3 bee hives!)were at home there. He had a strong network of friends who cared for him and provided support from time to time. He regularly went away on holidays with close friends and these times were very important to him creating wonderful memories.

George was his own man, a private person who didn’t accept what life had dealt him. He recovered to bring back purpose to his life and has made a difference to the Norwich community of which he became an important part.

He will be missed by all.