A “remarkable guy” who set up a youth centre in a bid to help wayward youngsters lead a better life has died at the age of 83.

Walter Welsh, known to several generations in Chiswick as Wally, started up The Hogarth - now the Hogarth Youth Centre - in 1955 and ran it until his retirement in 1988.

The centre’s current manager, Tony Heap, praised “a fantastic man” who “just did the business”.

He said: “In these days when people give MBEs out to people who work with children and the community - well, he was doing that sort of stuff back in the day.

“There were a lot of youngsters who came through the centre who could’ve gone adrift but he kept them on the straight and narrow.

“He was a bit special without a doubt.”

Mr Heap, who took over managing the Duke Road centre in 1990, credited the Brentford-born World War II veteran with helping his own development when he started going there at 16 years old.

“It was through him that I got my higher education,” he explained.

“I got on a degree course and grants and a post grad and that really was all his doing.

“He was a really remarkable guy.”

Mr Welsh’s ex-wife, Patricia Tos, described the challenges he set youngsters while he was a youth leader as “character building”.

She said Mr Welsh not only offered young people sporting activities but also got them involved in fundraising projects to pay for things like Christmas meals for older people - helping unite the community.

Ms Tos added: “The success of the Hogarth is a legacy to all the dedicated hard work put in by Wally.”

Mr Heap said the centre was still going strong and now offered various activities and resources, including IT work and a sound recording studio, to a range of people.

“You name it we’ve got it - really it all started with that guy.”

Mr Welsh died in his sleep at West Middlesex Hospital on November 5.

His funeral is to take place on November 18, at 1pm, at Mortlake Crematorium.

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