31/08/2026
With a heavy heart I have the sad news that Matt has passed away from a very brave and courageous battle with cancer. Matt was very well known and loved at Lancing Ring, walking his beloved dogs Dixie & Wilf. My Bella always loved him and would always go up to him and lean against him which I know is her sign that she likes and trusts someone.
I've known Matt for about 20 years through friends and music. In his early days he was a percussionist and then went onto become a conductor/band leader for brass bands. When I first met him, I sang a couple of my original songs in a church in Brighton where he was conducting the brass band that were playing with me. Since then we'd attended lots of fun nights, including the Westbourne pub in Hove where every Christmas we'd have amazing nights singing Christmas carols with a full brass orchestra with Matt conducting!
He was such a talented, friendly, lovely human being. I started to walk Dixie and Wilf when he became ill. I got to say goodbye to him on Friday which I'm so grateful for as he passed away on Saturday morning. Matt absolutely adored his dogs. He was the one who introduced me to Lancing Ring when I first started my dog walking business nearly 10 years ago. I know how much he was known and loved by everyone at Lancing Ring. My thoughts are with his heartbroken wife Elspeth and his family and friends. If you see me out and about with Dixie and Wilf, maybe you can give them an extra pat and cuddle❤️💔
