THE funeral will be held on Friday (June 20) of former Wiveliscombe Rotary Club president Tony Walkers who campaigned to raise awareness of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), the condition from which he died.

This year’s PSP awareness week coincidentally starts on Monday.

Mr Walkers, aged 72, died in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, from complications due to the condition, which has been dubbed ‘Parkinson’s-plus’.

It is closely linked to another terminal condition Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), which features in the film ‘The Salt Path’, currently showing in cinemas, telling the story of Raynor and Moth Winn, who walked the South West Coast Path after they lost their home and livelihood when Moth was diagnosed with CBD.

The charity Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association (PSPA) raises money for research and support for both conditions and, together with St Margaret’s Hospice, will be one of the beneficiaries of donations at Mr Walkers’s funeral.

Mr Walkers, who lived in Wellington, was a well-known character in the area, having been involved with the Young Farmers’ Federation for many years, both as a member and holding various offices, including county president.

Through his work as a specialist in agricultural seeds and animal feeds, he was also a familiar figure in the farming community in the Westcountry and beyond.

He was always available to give advice to farmers, any time, any day, and was well respected.

One of his great loves was rugby union and he was an avid supporter of Wellington Rugby Club, of which he was a vice-president.

As PSP took an increasingly cruel hold on Mr Walkers and curtailed many of his activities, he became a campaigner for the improvement of pavements for wheelchair users.

Mr Walkers’s funeral will take place at 2.40 pm in Taunton Crematorium and details of how to make donations were available from H. Tredwin & Son on 01823 672287 or online.