My partner, Mike Lane, who has died aged 76 of a neuroendocrine tumour, was the founder of a charity mentoring young people who were at risk of exclusion from school and helping to prevent antisocial behaviour in Upminster, east London.
Following a successful career running a motor-caravan hire business, in the late 1990s Mike began volunteering with Havering Youth Offending Team. This in turn led to a second career as a mentor, speaker and coach to young people.
Mike was born in Bath, son of Ronald Lane and Joan (nee Tungatt), both civil servants working in Customs and Excise. He attended Royal Liberty school, Romford, Essex, and in his early adult life had a variety of admin jobs, including at R White’s Lemonade and for Great Universal mail-order catalogue company.
In 1973 Mike bought a Volkswagen motorhome to hire during the summer months. The following year he started Hireway (Havering) Ltd and the fleet expanded to six vehicles. He continued with the business for 25 years, handing over to his business partner in the 1990s.
Through his work as a governor at the Coopers Company and Coburn school, Upminster, in 2004 he was approached by members of Upminster Residents’ Association to ask if he could help to resolve a youth behaviour problem outside a local McDonald’s, as the police seemed powerless to intervene. Mike convened a meeting of the representatives from the four nearest secondary schools to discuss what could be done. As a result, Mike went to talk to year 10 pupils at two of the schools about the consequences of antisocial behaviour. He was a firm believer in using restorative justice, asking the students to reflect on everyone affected by their behaviour.
The lessons were so successful that Mike’s work was rolled out in all 18 secondary schools in Havering. In 2006 he launched a charity, Voluntary Youth Group, to continue the project. Its management committee was made up of people experienced in victim support, a local councillor, a retired police officer, members of the youth offending team and school governors. The work included workshops, lessons in schools, and individual mentoring for those at risk of exclusion. Mike organised boxing lessons, trampolining and trips to visit Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant for cooking workshops.
Mike never retired and continued working for the charity. He also loved gardening and spending time with his grandchildren. Despite his illness this summer he acted as a home invigilator for students unable to attend their exams at school or college.
He is survived by his daughter, Katie, from his marriage to Joyce, which ended in divorce; his stepson, Simon; four grandchildren, Tom, Emma, Jacob, Eva; and by me.
