THE life of a man who donated the iron gates to Pershore Abbey is to be celebrated tomorrow at a concert arranged by his grandson.

Dr Alan Walker, who was a stalwart figure at Pershore Abbey in the 1970s, died last year, aged 94.

He donated the wrought iron gates that mark the site of the original West door in memory of his mother. His family also planted a line of trees that can be seen today marking the path of the old nave of the Abbey, which was destroyed during the dissolution of the monasteries in King Henry VIII’s day.

Dr Walker’s daughter Caroline Alhouse said: “My father was devoted to church music, although he was not a musician himself. This concert will be a fitting tribute and one he would particularly appreciate.”

Dr Walker graduated from University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, with a degree in botany with agriculture.

During the war, he was a scientific civil servant involved in vital work when Britain was struggling for self-sufficiency in food supplies.

After the war, he continued with his work visiting farms all over the country, and in 1958 the family, consisting of wife Joan and two children, Caroline and Robert, moved to Pershore and soon became members of the Abbey community. Though the family moved to Bristol in 1969, Dr Walker’s in-laws remained in a house in the High Street, which became a base for himself and Joan to spend time in Pershore.

Their daughter Caroline married husband Francis at the Abbey and now their son – Alan’s grandson Edmond – is to make a heart-felt return. The 32-year-old organist is well qualified to lead the memorial concert with his colleague and counter-tenor, Simon Clulow.

Edmond has been assistant director of music at Ripon Cathedral since January 2009.

He was educated at Chetham’s School of Music and Manchester Grammar School, and graduated with a first class honours degree in modern languages from Pembroke College, Oxford, where he was organ scholar.

Tomorrow, 16 lively and celebrated works for organ and voice will be performed by the musicians in Pershore Abbey.

The concert, which starts at 2.30pm, will include an extract from Messiah, a toccata by Widor, a vivace and an allegro by Bach, and several pieces by Purcell including Music for a While.

Tickets cost £5, in aid of the Friends of the Abbey, and are available at the door or from Blue, the dress shop in Broad Street.