TRIBUTES have poured in following the death of former Watchet headmaster Alan Woollam, sportsman, fund-raiser and much-loved inspirational teacher, who died on February 2 in Williton Hospital, aged 74, after several years of ill-health. 

 After becoming one of the country’s youngest headmasters and teaching in the town for 37 years, Mr Woollam and his wife Melanie founded the Watchet Harbour Community Bookshop on the Esplanade in 2009 as a tribute to their late son Tom and which has donated over £225,000 to cystic fibrosis research and local organisations.

 Twelve former pupils who were taught by Mr Woollam will carry the coffin to and from the funeral service, which will be held at Knights Templar School on Saturday, March 11 at 11.30 am, following a procession through the town.

 Led by town crier David Milton, the procession will start at West Street, Watchet. The service at the school will be conducted by the Rev Richard Allen who also officiated at Tom Woollam’s funeral in 2007.

 Funeral director Julie Langdon, a former pupil at the school, said: “I am calling it ‘Mr Woollam’s state funeral’ because that is basically what it is. Most of Watchet wants to be involved in some way.

 “The interest in the whole town has been overwhelming and shows just how respected and highly thought of he was and will be very much missed. I hope the funeral will leave a lasting memory of one of Watchet’s finest.”

See Friday's Free Press for a a full report on Mr Woollam’s life and tributes on his passing