Tributes paid to former Biggleswade mayor who battled brain tumour but lived life to the full

Tributes are being paid to a former mayor who battled a brain tumour for years but always lived life to the full.

Former Central Bedfordshire and Biggleswade Town Councillor Tim Woodward died aged 55 on March 7.

He had served as mayor from 2011 to 2013, and as governor of Holmead School, now Biggleswade Academy.

Brave Tim had received ongoing treatment for a brain tumour since 1992, but always kept active – and was passionate about both community and family life.

His wife, Nicola, told the Chronicle: "Tim was joyful, the life and soul of the party - very loud, very friendly, and very giving. The brain tumour was part of his life, really, but he was never going to let it get to him.

"He was a councillor for a long time and very much enjoyed it, attending community events, the annual civic service, Remembrance and St George's parades."

Tim was born in St Ippolyts and grew up in Hitchin with his father Peter, mother Maggie, and younger sister Victoria. As an adult, he remained in touch with a group of friends from his days at Samuel Lucas Infant and Junior School and Hitchin Boys School – and it was at Samuel Lucas that he met his future wife.

"He was just a lovely guy," remembers Nicola. "We used to go to the Red Cross together as teenagers. But then I went off to do my nurse training at South West Herts, and he went to do a Physics degree at Lancaster University."

Busy up north, Tim enjoyed the social side of student life, taking part in Dungeons & Dragons and medieval battle reenactment.

He initially intended to become a doctor, but instead entered a successful career in computing. During his early 20s he was recruited to work in Atlanta, but this came to an abrupt end when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1992, aged just 25, returning to England for radiotherapy following surgery in America.