It is with great sadness that we share the news of the recent passing of Anthony Berry on March 25^th 2026.

Since the 1990s, ‘Tony’ helped extensively at most of the Watford Festival events each year and also at the Christopher Duke / Watford International Piano Competition. People have commented about how he was always a friendly, welcoming face for the competitors and how keen he was to do whatever he could for the benefit of everyone who was linked to the Festival, contributing an immense amount of his time and help at the committee meetings and various events. He and his wife Jean also mentored and supported new ‘Section Heads’.

Tony was the Secretary for the ‘Friends of Watford Festival’ until 2024, updating the Friends about events, and collecting their annual donations. For a number of years, he also contacted schools and other societies, to obtain the sponsored adverts in the main Festival programme, which helped to pay for its production.

With his great efficiency and organisational skills, yet quiet and humble demeanour, Tony will be greatly missed by all of us on the Festival committee.