Dear Sir,

Bermuda has suffered a significant loss with the passing of Charles Marshall, MBE, JP. The former senator — known to everyone as “Charlie” — was a man of the people, respected and loved in equal measure.

After leaving school at 16, he became an apprentice at Belco. Later, he and his wife, Lesley, worked together to build successful and profitable businesses in electrical contracting, communications and electronics. Charlie also had a passion for sport, particularly football, and he was well known as a referee and leading light in the Bermuda Football Association.

There was a moment, some 30 years ago, when Bermuda came as close as it ever had to selection for participation in football’s most prestigious international tournament, the Fifa World Cup. But instead, without funds and in deep debt, Bermuda faced a five-year ban from international competition.

That was the moment Charlie resolved that if he ever had the means, he would set up a fund to assist players to reach their potential and Bermuda to achieve its best on the world stage. True to that pledge, the Marshalls shared their success by investing $1 million in the Charles E. and Lesley Marshall Fund for Football.

Managed since 2017 by the Bermuda Foundation, the Marshall fund has disbursed 50 grants, totalling $207,000, to 20 organisations. This year, the fund is assisting groups to purchase equipment and uniforms, replace changing rooms and lighting at TN Tatem field, and develop youth programmes.

Charlie and Lesley Marshall leveraged their financial success to benefit the community they cared so much about. Mrs Marshall and the fund’s team of advisers will, according to Charlie’s wishes, continue with this philanthropic work.

On behalf of all those who have benefited, we thank them and pay tribute to the legacy of a great and decent man, Charlie Marshall. He will be remembered long into the future for what he has done and for what his fund will achieve in perpetuity.

AMANDA OUTERBRIDGE

Chair

Board of the Bermuda Foundation