Tony Bourne – A Taverners Tribute

Anthony Bourne, who was the lead partnership manager between the Lord’s Taverners and Ford Motor Company for over 30 years and was a member of the Taverners for many more, sadly passed away on the 13 April 2025, aged 82.

Tony as most knew him, was a loving father and husband and it was through this work that we saw his passion for the charity and the exciting travels that his involvement with the Lord’s Taverners took him upon.

Part of Dad’s role was to ensure that minibuses ordered by the Lord’s Taverners, were supplied to the recipient, often a school or community group, on time and with the correct specifications and design.

During his working relationship with the Lord’s Taverners, he ensured that over 850 minibuses were successfully delivered. Dad held particular fondness for being at the presentation ceremonies which took him far and wide across the country, visiting many schools, meeting inspirational and devoted teachers and wonderful children who were given the opportunity to access activities that they would otherwise not have been able to.

These presentations led our father to often spend time with Taverners staff and some of their more well-known members at the time.

Presentations that he held fond memories of were many but included, playing a charity cricket match and presenting a bus via hovercraft on Goodwin Sands, presenting multiple buses at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and before attending the Presidents Ball at the launch of the QM2 in Southampton. He also presented buses with royalty, including Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Prince Edward.

Dad enjoyed meeting many well-known faces including cricketers Chris Cowdrey and Derek Underwood, and celebrities such as Judith Chalmers to name but a few.

He was also an active member of the West Kent Lord’s Taverners region and enjoyed serving on the committee for many years. He helped organise several of their events, including a charity Christmas Carol Service held at St Paul’s Church Rusthall attended by Kent and England cricketers and Nicolas Parsons. Dad continued to attend events in the West Kent region until recently.

Dad was passionate about his work and understood the importance that the opportunity to travel gave the recipient schools and children. As a family we experienced many great moments thanks to Dad’s relationship with the Taverners and are thankful that the charity have agreed to remember him with this tribute.