We first met Ian in September 1997 on our first visit as potential members to Old Hall. Not only did he sponsor us and make us very welcome, he also dashed us a sack of potatoes when we left, thus beginning a very good friendship that has lasted for more than twenty years. Ian rekindled my love of cycling and showed me many beautiful routes through the lanes of Suffolk. He and Sylvia were our immediate good neighbours at Old Hall. We were on such good terms that one night at about 2.30am when the cows had made one of their periodic escapes, were mooing under our window and chewing the sweetcorn, we went into Ian and Sylvia's bedroom, woke Ian up and in the pitch dark we managed to get the cows back in the barn, all of them following a very calm Ian who'd had the sense to grab a bucket of oats as bovine enticement.

Having moved to Shrewsbury, not very far from Ruthin, we've been very happy to meet up for bike rides, walks, tea and scones and excellent company. We shall sorely miss Ian - a really good bloke.