Richard Hill Obituary

Very sadly one of our members, Richard Hill, passed away last Tuesday. Our chairman Terry had a few words to say to open the meeting:

Richard hadn’t been a member for that long, just over three years I believe, but the impact, enthusiasm and inspiration that he brought to the groups in that short time, did feel like he had been a member for much, much longer.

He was an active member and a proud supporter of the group and above all he was a writer who wrote. Even during his illness he was writing and getting published and the week before last he was the first to submit an entry to the poetry comp.

Only last week, we heard of the national praise and testimonials that he received for his articles on dogs and canals and he was still active on the groups Whatsapp.

A lot of you have already passed on your condolences to his husband, Simon, his family and friends, including Mark, along with text tributes to Richard containing words such as fighter, spirit, incredible, positive and courageous and I can only mirror those sentiments and maybe add one of my own, friend.

As mentioned, he had also received multiple tributes for his writing work recently, and it seems appropriate to include that here to celebrate his dedication to writing:

"Richard was one of my most dedicated and enthusiastic creative writing students, with a varied and fascinating supply of stories to tell."
Edward Parnell. Tutor, National Centre for Writing (Creative Non-fiction)

"We love including Richard's diverse features. He always takes such tremendous care and is a pleasure to deal with."
Beverley Cuddy Smith. Editor, Dogs Today Magazine

"Richard has been one of the most proactive, conscientious and thoughtful students I've encountered. He engaged fully with his writing, generating a succession of lively ideas and interesting work."
Dr Christy Ducker. Tutor, The Open University (Introduction to Creative Writing)

"He is an innovative thinker, always coming up with fresh ideas and the verve to put them into action"
Chris Cattral. Editor, Canal & Riverboat Magazine

"It is his adaptability, together with his reliability and enthusiasm for the job, that makes him a welcome contributor"
Courtney Freedman. Editor, The Art of Bonsai Magazine

"A most interesting and well written article" (Referring to '43 Years in an Iron Lung' SAGA Magazine).
Geoffrey Lean. The Independent on Sunday.