Tributes to Bournemouth homeless man as funeral takes place

PC Joel Brooks from Bournemouth Police paid tribute to Gary Houghton, who died earlier this month.

The Royal Artillery veteran, cancer survivor and loving father was voluntarily homeless.

Initially a user of the service Hope for Food, Gary soon became a huge part of the charity and gave his time to help its running. 

His daughter Kylie told the Daily Echo: “Dad preferred to be on his own doing his own thing. He was a very proud man and wouldn’t take financial support from anyone.

Gary Houghton

“Nothing was too much for him. He was well loved and cherished. I’m very proud to be his daughter and couldn’t have asked for a better dad. I miss him so much.”

Yesterday, PC Brooks said: "Today I attended the funeral of a Westbourne homeless male, Gary Houghton.

"Gary wasn't just a homeless person, he was a friend. I've known Gary for about eight years and first met him as he was at a soup kitchen that I used to attend.

Read more: Tributes flood in for popular homeless man who worked tirelessly for charity

"He was volunteering outside of the soup kitchen, carrying food in and distributing items to the vulnerable people attending from a van outside.

"Over the years we got to know each other and we would often sit on the bench on West Overcliff drive putting the world to rights.

"Gary was in the forces and always used to mock that my boots were not bulled (polished) to his standard.

"He would give me camping advice as he lived happily in his tent, hidden in the bushes in the Chine. He told me how he could heat his tent up with a tealight whenever I went to check on him. He never complained of the cold or anything (unlike me).

"People of Westbourne will know him as a familiar face. Chez Fred often used to call out 'Chips for Gandalf' as he used to call himself that.

"Standing up and speaking at his funeral was an honour as I am proud to have been a friend of him, he is honestly one of the kindest most selfless humans you could have met.

"He was ALWAYS helping others, the whole time living in a tent himself. I was disappointed that a local resident went looking for the tent and left an unkind note on it.

"If only the person knew about all of charity work that Gary did for others.

"Do not judge someone who is living on the streets, there could be numerous reasons for it. Please don't be unkind to them as you may not know what kind of a person they are or their situation."