We regretfully announce the death of our friend and former FRP member, Derek Power, who died in Musgrove on Monday 9th October, following surgery on his hip.
Derek was born in Oldham in 1932, but later moved to Falmouth, where he lived for fifteen years. Whilst there, he joined Falmouth Poetry Group and became Chairman and Secretary. Other members of that group, whom Derek got to know include such well-known names as Penelope Shuttle, Peter Redgrove and future Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. Later, he moved to Taunton, where he worked as a pharmacist until his retirement. Derek joined the Fire River Poets in 1989. At that time and for some time after, the group was meeting at a series of venues, none of them ideal, until Derek took pity on us and offered his home. From then on, for many years, he and his wife Eileen hosted our meetings and always made us most welcome (drinks were free, until we insisted on leaving a monetary contribution on the table). We continued to enjoy Derek’s hospitality until early in 2017, when Eileen’s ill health and other factors made it impractical.