03/08/2022

Tim Hollis’ family have let us know that their father died on Thursday 28th July 2022. The funeral will take place at Church End, near Tewkesbury, on 31st August 2022 at 2.30pm.

Tim, along with Marion, his wife, were at the heart of the foundation of L’Arche U.K. and especially in the birth of the Kent, Highland, Liverpool, London and Bognor Communities. He had strong friendships with people with learning disabilities, going running with Pete when visiting Kent, and taking time with Fred in Bognor. He threw himself enthusiastically into the life of the communities when he had the opportunity to visit, never missing the opportunity to organise a football match. 

Tim was a pillar of L’Arche in the foundation years. An amusing anecdote - Little Ewell was full of ex-navy people and there was a serious idea floated at one time of establishing a L’Arche house in a boat on the Thames – and Geoffrey Morgan, Tim Hollis and Thierry Jacques actually got a barge from Belgium and sailed it over to Dover and then into the Thames! The idea never came to fruition. 

Therese Vanier asked him to be the first General Secretary of L’Arche UK. Marion was asked to be Company Secretary. He worked closely with the local committees and what was then called the Central Committee. As General Secretary Tim was responsible for raising substantial charitable funding for the establishment of the first UK Communities.  

Tim and Marion were instrumental in enabling a strong and helpful relationship between the committees and the Communities. Their home in Beccles, Suffolk, became a much loved place of welcome and formation for generations of the early assistants. They were very faithful to long-term assistants and their needs, and formed deep friendships with many people in L’Arche across the world. 

For many years after his retirement as L’Arche UK secretary, he visited the Vine in L’Arche London and looked after the garden there. He and Marion were delighted when asked to be members of L’Arche London and remained very faithful to the community. They visited each year on Holy Thursday, Marion bringing her renowned banoffee pie, and Tim dramatically telling the story of Exodus with much passion and creativity, to everyone’s delight.  

Tim was an Anglican priest and was deeply inspired by the worker priest movement. He was passionate about working for greater understanding and unity between our churches. He was a faithful friend and accompanier of many, had many varied interests, kept up with his wide reading, daily walks (he could recognise any birdsong), tending to his beloved garden and sailing. He will be remembered for his sense of fun, his huge delightful, mischievous smile and sense of humour, for his warm welcome, generosity and faithfulness, and for his deep love of L’Arche.   

He will be much missed.