Jimi Heselden

LEEDS has, this week, lost one of its most generous citizens with the tragic death of James William Heselden OBE – or Jimi as he was known to all.

He was extraordinarily generous in financial terms. In 2008, he set up the Hesco Bastion Fund with the Leeds Community Foundation with an initial donation of 10m.

His motivation was to help and support the city he loved, particularly the community where he was born and where his business is based.

He added 3m to the Fund in 2009 and, most recently, a further 10m gift in September 2010, bringing his contributions to an amazing total of 23m.

He was a man who clearly loved Leeds and wanted to show his support for the city, its people, key institutions and organisations including Leeds United and Leeds Rugby as well as Leeds City Council's entry into the Chelsea Flower Show, winning gold in 2010.

The most striking thing about Jimi was his generosity of spirit – a man with a huge heart, a zest for life, and a tremendous sense of humour.

We would have regular grants meetings to review the applications from groups. They would sometimes last for two or three hours, interspersed with many jokes and funny stories that Jimi would share.

He was once asked what it was like to be such a great philanthropist. His answer was: "I am not even sure what one of those is, but the reason I give is because I just want to help people who need it most."

At one of the very few Press interviews he gave, only two weeks ago to the Yorkshire Post, he talked further about the

reasons for his donations to charity. "I believe that businesses that do well should give something back to the community," he said.

In the last two years his Fund has distributed 6m to 102 different charities and community groups. Much of this has been invested in projects in Leeds: supporting projects working with isolated and vulnerable older people, fixing the roof on a community centre in danger of collapsing, supporting a football club for children who are blind or partially sighted and co-funding a special park at Temple Newsam for children with physical disabilities.

He was a regular annual supporter of the three local hospices, as well as Leeds Mencap. Charities working with the armed forces also benefited – Help for Heroes in particular, but also the Yorkshire Regimental Association, the Royal British Legion and ABF The Soldiers Charity amongst others.

Jimi sought no glory or recognition for his charitable work, no need for large plaques or special events. Yet the impact he had on the groups he supported was really significant and this has been particularly evident this week with the many phone calls, letters and emails to the Leeds Community Foundation; many from people who had never met him, but who have been deeply affected by his generosity.

The comments included: "Although we had never met, we felt Jimi was part of our building to which he had recently made such a generous contribution"; "It's a huge loss. He was a fine man, and did so much good"; "He really was a great man – the lifeline he provided for our charity was so important" and "Without his support our charity would have had to close, it is as simple as that".

Jimi's generosity has helped hundreds of less fortunate people in Leeds and will continue to do so for many years to come at a time when the need is greater than ever. Jimi has left a deep and lasting positive impression on so many people's lives, a fitting testament to a lovely man whose energy and enthusiasm will be sorely missed.