RETIRED Mace Bearer to the Mayors of Bournemouth Clifford ‘Cliff’ Mould died on December 14.

He served more than 15 different mayors throughout his 16 years of service, following a long and varied career as a builder, landlord of a popular north Dorset pub and organising ‘wish-granting’ charity activities for children.

Born in Staffordshire in May 1931, Mr Mould originally trained as a bricklayer but at the age of 21 he joined the Royal Air Force. He was stationed in Weymouth, where he later went on to meet his wife, Joan, at a local dance.

They married in 1956 and settled in the town, where Mr Mould joined the police force. The pair had three children – Sue, Richard and Kate.

In 1965 he left the police force and became a builder for Framptons of Wimborne, and eventually the family moved to Lytchett Matravers where he set up his own building business and became heavily involved with the carnival.

They moved once again in 1976, to Shaftesbury, where Mr Mould became the landlord of The Ship Inn.

He also became the charter president of the Gillingham, Mere and Shaftesbury Lions Club, and was very passionate about the charity work he did to ‘make the dreams of many children come true’.

The Lions committee received a regular stack of letters from hopeful children, as in the case of a boy who was desperate to go fishing where Mr Mould arranged for him and his family to take an angling trip with a famous fisherman.

During his five years as a landlord Mr Mould also became chairman of the Licensed Victuallers Association.

In the early 1980s, with the economy under pressure, the family moved to Bournemouth where Mr Mould became assistant Mace Bearer and later full Mace Bearer to the Mayors of Bournemouth.

This job gave him the opportunity to meet a wide range of royals, political figures and celebrities including the Queen Mother, Princess Anne, Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher.

It also allowed him to visit the House of Lords, and he was present for the rededication of HMS Phoebe at Devonport in 1987.

Retiring from his position in 1996, Mr Mould began working as a toastmaster for high-class events at Bournemouth hotels including the Royal Bath and the Carlton.

He spent the latter part of his life doting on his two grandchildren, Charlotte and Anastasia.

He will be sorely missed by his family and friends for his kind-hearted and thoughtful approach to life.