The Abbeyfield Society Announces Sudden Passing Of Chief Executive Officer, David Mccullough

The Abbeyfield Society has paid tribute to chief executive David McCullough who passed away suddenly on 8 February 2021, saying he had “great empathy for others”.

Abbeyfield Chairman, Ian Plaistowe OBE, reflected that the whole organisation had lost “a true friend.”

“David was incredibly dedicated and passionate, with great empathy for others. His leadership and strategic thinking were a true asset to Abbeyfield, bringing a fresh approach to the way we work and showing tremendous drive to move the organisation forward.”

“David’s priority was improving the lives of older people and exploring ways of keeping them connected to their communities. His kindness, warmth and humour will be sorely missed by those who knew him.”

Following a successful career in retail, IT and financial services, David held senior positions at Oxfam and the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) – as Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Executive respectively – before joining Abbeyfield as Chief Executive Officer in August 2017.

As a committed volunteer himself, David chaired the Board of Trustees at alternative trading company Twin Trading, helping farmers in developing countries receive fair pay. He was also a Trustee of the Postcode International Trust, which is funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery and supports projects that create sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty, hunger and enable food security overseas.

Ian Plaistowe concluded, “We will continue taking David’s work forward to ensure it is a lasting tribute to his inspirational leadership. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”