A 'truly lovely lady and gentleman' killed in a crash at the weekend have been named as a Darlington couple honoured with the MBE for services to the community.
Alan Charlton, 90, and Joy McCulloch, 74, died after the two-vehicle crash on the A171 near Scaling Dam just before midnight on Friday (October 2). They were understood to have been on the way to a break in Whitby.
Emergency services, including the air ambulance, attended and Joy, who was a passenger in a Peugoet 2008, died at the scene. Alan later died in hospital. The driver and passenger of a Volkswagen Golf - a man in his 20s and a teenager - were taken to hospital for treatment. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Alan received the MBE in 2006 for services to the community, having volunteered in various charitable roles. He had been made Darlington Citizen of the Year two years earlier.
Joy, Alan’s companion in recent years, was a dedicated cardiac nurse at Darlington Memorial Hospital from 1984 until her retirement. She was awarded the MBE in 1999 for services to health care.
Tributes to the popular couple have been sent by key figures in the local community, with the Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Helen Crumbie, praising them for their combined “kindness, compassion, dedication and community spirit”.
“They were a truly lovely lady and gentleman who devoted much of their lives to serving the community,” added the Mayor. “They worked tirelessly to support local causes and improve the lives of others. They earned the respect and admiration of all who knew them, and their legacy will be fondly remembered for years to come.”
Alan, who was born in Tanfield Lea, in North Durham, grew up as a keen Newcastle United fan, and also enjoyed attending Darlington FC games.
His volunteering contributions included being the long-standing chair of The Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital. He was also a devoted Rotarian and Freemason, and was a founder member of the Darlington Partnership when it was established to support the local economy and social cohesion.
Alan Charlton and Joy McCulloch (Image: Newsquest archive)
In 2002, he was presented with a Rotary International Award in recognition of his community efforts, which included helping to organise the Darlington Young Musician of the Year, and being a key supporter of the Darlington 10k Road Race.
He came up with the idea for an annual Young Citizen of the Year award and secured sponsorship from Darlington Rotary.
In March this year, Darlington Rotary celebrated Alan’s 90th birthday with a presentation recognising the efforts of “one of our most positive and gregarious members”.
President of Darlington Rotary, Iain Anderson, said: “Alan was a great Rotarian who was dedicated to the service of his community over many years. He was a hugely respected and well-liked member of Darlington Rotary who will be sorely missed.
“His work and love of Rotary speaks for itself, and it is with a profound sense of shock and sorrow that we learn of his and Joy's death in this untimely way.”
Darlington MP, Lola McEvoy, said: “I am shocked and saddened to hear of the deaths of Alan Charlton MBE and Joy McCulloch MBE. I will, as will many across the town, be thinking of their families, and their significant contribution to the fabric of Darlington.
“Over many years, they supported local charities and voluntary organisations, helping to raise thousands of pounds for good causes and making a real difference to the lives of people in Darlington. I am sorry that such lives of giving to others were taken in such an awful way."
Steve Rose, former District Governor and President of Darlington Rotary, and Chief Executive of Darlington Partnership: “Alan was a great man, and it is a great loss. When he was offered honorary membership of Rotary, he declined, saying: ‘I will pay my dues and be a full member until you carry me out’. That was the kind of man he was.”
Tom Nutt, former Mayor of Darlington and Rotarian, described Alan as “a treasure for the town”.
“He was a wonderful man,” he added. “He would do anything for anyone. You couldn’t help but like him and he’ll be a massive miss to the community.”
In his professional career, Alan rose to become managing director of Farmway, a Darlington-based farmers’ co-operative, until his retirement.
Alan’s wife, Audrey, died eight years ago. They had three children, Nick, Adele, and Andrew, who passed away in 2023. He was also a grandfather to Matt, Tom, Harriet, Verity, Barney and William. He met his first great-grandchild, Alfie, just a week ago.
Adele said: “When I think of my dad, the words that spring to mind are loyalty, stoicism, hard-working, dependable, and passionate about supporting the community in any way he could.”
Joy was originally from Aberfoyle, in Scotland, and trained to be a nurse in Edinburgh before moving to Ingleton when she started work at Darlington Memorial Hospital.
Her son, Iain, described her as “the best mum in the world”, adding: “She loved her family more than anyone but was the type of person who looked after everyone. She put everyone else before herself.”
When Iain’s brother, Alastair, passed away in 2008, Joy kept herself busy in the community to help her cope with the loss.
She was a volunteer driver with the Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital, and a befriender with Age UK. She was also a keen gardener, walker and runner, completing lots of Great North Runs for charitable causes.
After she and Alan became companions, Iain said she had enjoyed “the happiest years of her life”. They loved attending the Darlington parkrun to cheer on Iain, and she was a devoted grandmother to Patrick and Lily.
Pauline Park, Joy’s close friend for more than 40 years, said: “We will always talk of her with love, and we will never forget her. Her legacy, apart from her outstanding work as a cardiac rehab nurse, is that she was a kind and loving Mum and loving friend. There wasn’t a malicious bone in her body. We were lucky to have her in our lives. Joy by name and joyous to know.”
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The couple loved to take breaks at Whitby, where Alan had a caravan, and it is thought that’s where they were heading when the crash happened.
Enquiries into the collision are ongoing and officers are urging anyone who may have witnessed the crash, or seen either vehicle prior to it, to get in touch.
Police are particularly keen to hear from anyone with relevant dashcam footage.
Anyone with information should call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or email sciu@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference 12260194121.