Brigadier (Retired) David Martin CBE (1957 - 2015)

Brigadier (Retired) David Martin was a Director and Trustee of Operation Christmas Box leading the Operation Christmas Box Team as Chairman from 2009 until his unexpected death in March 2015.

Before joining the Charity as a Director and Trustee, David supported Operation Christmas Box from 2005 whilst serving in the Army, advising the Trustees on the Christmas Boxes’ content and how the MOD could assist the Charity’s work.  As part of his military responsibilities, he visited operational theatres and took every opportunity to seek comments from the Christmas Box recipients about the suitability of the contents.

Representing the MOD, and as Chairman of Operation Christmas Box, David always gave wise and prudent advice to the Trustees, bringing his wide business knowledge gained from his extensive military understanding and membership of the Institute of Directors.  Always representing the Charity’s interests with great enthusiasm and dedication, David worked unstintingly to raise sponsorship and he built very successful relationships with the Charity’s major sponsors.  Under his leadership, he ensured that the Trustees maintained the Charity’s good standing with the Charity Commission at all times.

Before retiring from the military, David had a very distinguished career in the Army, and was awarded the CBE for his tireless efforts in 2003 organising logistical support to the operational theatres of Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is, and will continue to be, greatly missed by the Operation Christmas Box Team as an admired colleague and a dear friend.