Hugh Frederick Heaven (6 Oct 1944 - 6 Sep 2019)

King Hugh of Pyle. Your Majesty, I still have the silly cartoons you used to send me, the tankard you gave me for my 21st still stands on my desk, full of pens. My heart is heavy and my head full of memories of our shared daft youth. Singing “Cosher Bailey” in the pub, running on Porthcawl beach with Shep, helping your Mam in the shop. The time we put our cases on to the wrong bus in Cardiff and it drove off. When Wales won the triple crown and you somehow broke the loo in a pub. Your love and pride in your family and your joy when you became a grandfather, these things I will never forget. Nos Da fy ffrind annwyl.

Gone but never will you be forgotten. RIP Mr H! 🙏🏾❤

On behalf of your George Dixon Family, we wish a final farewell to the man who made George Dixon Primary School what it is!

I have been sitting here for a while, trying to put into words the impact Mr Heaven has made on our lives and, in all honesty, it has been harder than I had ever thought it would be.

You honestly were a star, the most amazing man with a personality to match.
Whether you worked with him, or he was your headteacher…..we all remember the most amazing assemblies, with your beloved Overhead projector as well as Wednesday assemblies singing some of the most amazing songs! Everyone trying to be on their best behaviour, so that you would get the chance to have a blue sweet from Tandoori the chicken and always knowing that if we needed someone to talk with, your door was always open.

The memories he has created and the love and support he showed to all those around him are the things we will all cherish for years to come.


“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

With a special farewell from
Bal, Manjit, Kiran, Shaela, Sarah, Nandra, Mrs Mankoo, Rehana, Parminder and Linda Smith x

Hugh helped me so much when I was young and I can never forget that help..
God bless and may you rest in peace.xx

Hugh Heaven was an inspiring person to know. The twinkle in his eye communicated the love he had for the children he taught. He was passionate about what he believed was right for their education and was willing to fight for it. I appreciated his support for the arts within the "broad and balanced" curriculum. We also knew his passion whenever Wales were playing rugby and I have always remembered him at those times. How he would have enjoyed this World Cup.
My children particularly remember him wearing a leek on St David’s Day, asking the children to put their hands in the air to put the lights on – before they understood “Many hands make light work”, the OHP Diwali story and the jar of sweets with a cockerel that crowed when opened, before healthy eating banned them.
A kind, inspirational leader who will be much missed.

Heaven. A fitting name for a man who made his pupils feel like the sky was the limit. Mr Heaven gave my mum her first job at George Dixon. With that foundation he helped create in our household, has been the major influence which has shaped the lives of my siblings and I. We will forever be thankful for his guidance, his singing of 5 little speckled frogs and lifting the kids off the bench in an animated way as a part of the it, singing ‘yellow bird’ in assembly and organising the penny arcade every year.

Mr Heaven was the backbone for the life I have now gone onto create and that is a testament to him. Although he is no longer here in physical form, these memories will shine bright and last a lifetime.

Thank you Mr Heaven :)

Mr Heaven was an amazing individual. I was a pupil at George Dixon and have only fond memories of him. From his funny OHP Diwali assemblies, to the special sweets that would make our tongues blue. The teddy bear that always sat comfortably in front of the fire place in his office to the walks in the nearby woodland area. Singing ‘Autumn Days’ and ‘All things bright and beautiful’ in assemblies and Christmas hymns at St Jermaine’s Church. He wasn’t just a headteacher but a truly caring, inspirational and remarkable individual.

I’m sure that everyone that has crossed paths with him will forever bask in the memories that he created with them.

Mr Heaven, may your journey forward be enriched by the magnificent souls who have passed before you, just like you have done here, for those you leave behind.

Rakhee Spillane (Age 34)