I still can’t quite believe this is having to be written and I don’t really know where to start writing about my amazing Dad. He was such a kind and loving Dad, always there for us and ready to talk us through any worries or upsets we had. He taught me so much. The need to be forgiving and to show love, care and respect towards others (even if we didn’t like them!) were some of the many things I learnt from him. On the odd occasion when we got sent to our room as kids for being naughty he would always come up and talk to us after and tell us he loved us. This has stayed with me and is something I have carried on in my job as a nanny. Also if there was any disagreement at all we weren’t allowed to go to bed before it got sorted, however late it meant we got to sleep! I was petrified of dogs as a child and whenever there was a dog in sight he would always grab me and put me on his shoulders -that’s if I hadn’t climbed up there myself first! I still remember now how safe that made me feel. I loved going to Weymouth and Bournemouth beach as a child and loved it when Dad took me and my brother and sister out in the dinghy. It was always so much fun and he never got fed up of taking us out on it however many times we asked him to. He has given me many lifts over the years to all my musical activities and I’m so grateful for that. Thanks for the Iceland Mint Humbugs after Hampshire Childrens Choir in Winchester every Friday!! I really did have such a lovely happy childhood. He was so excited for me when I bought my flat but even more so when I got a house with a garden. He helped me so much and I’ve learnt a lot from him. I’m not so sure I will be as patient as him though when it comes to taking any stones out of the soil in my borders but I will try my best Dad! I’ve enjoyed lots of lovely walks with him and mum over the last few years too. It was so sad that since he went into a home in December 2019 we had very little opportunity to see him before lockdown started. It was nice to see him in the garden there a couple of times though, but I desperately missed the hugs with him. Family zoom calls were lovely too and it was nice to know that he still recognised us. This was obvious by all the lovely smiles and his unique wave. It’s been torture not seeing him properly in these last nine months before he died, but I really do hope he knew just how very loved and missed he was, and he still is and always will be. God bless you Dad. Thanks for everything. Xx