Roger was a super uncle and was always interested in what we were up to. He was a great-uncle to my girls and bought them thoughtful gifts and they'd cosily watch TV with him on the sofa.

Most gatherings were in Kent (my parents' home) but he did visit us at our London home too. Easter and Christmas with gin & tonic o'clock, chats around the breakfast bar, and telling Rog off for putting too much butter on his bread (he hated us commenting on that!). Roger was always keen to know when the next meal was but he was a dab hand at whizzing up a full English breakfast for everyone!

We were blessed with many family celebrations in recent years. I have a fond memory of Italy last year and holding his arm down all the stone steps at our villa complex after another boozy night by the pool.

In the last couple of years there was a lot of email correspondence as well and I learnt about his time in the NAAFI which was new to me. Roger would often chat about everything he was doing in Reading - I might have been drinking a gin & tonic and only half listening - but then the volunteer award certificates would be emailed and certainly I now realise from all the local tributes, that what Roger was up to in his community was making a big difference to many people. I feel so proud of him.

Zoom calls this year have been very amusing - always some technical issue going on, but at least we got to see him for a chat every couple of weeks, along with the relations in Canada. Covid brought us all together more often and this will continue but I will really miss Roger's Zoom window (where he was once upside down!!).

I've had a strange year too because my girls are growing up and I am trying to change career (into Community Engagement in fact - he would approve!) and Roger has picked up on my mood from my update emails and tried to guide me with some long thoughtful emails. Here's one line here where he used his sailing analogy: 'In a storm we all need a strong anchor, but often staying tethered in a storm is not the solution but just a haven for a short time.' He took time to think how to help me and his emails showed great care for me. I hope I always hear his voice when I think of him, and him calling me 'Pips'.

I cannot finish without saying that on the day of my wedding in 2005 the power from the Kent house to the marquee in the garden to supply the wedding caterers, completely blew. Roger missed the whole wedding at the church to sort it all out and save the day. When people say he was a big man with a big heart they are SO right.