Initially I was one of Nick's students at Wigan College, where I gave him no end of trouble over the changing criteria for the Diploma in Counselling as they moved to get it ratified by the BACP. I was therefore somewhat amazed when a few years later he phoned me to ask if I'd be interested in doing some teaching there, my first question was, "how many other people have said no?" I never regretted saying yes and becoming a colleague. He was straightforward, clear and passionate about the Person Centred Approach and lived its values of cherishing people where they are whilst balancing the educational demands of an Institution. He was the master of "rendering unto Caesar" and 'supping with a long spoon" I always felt he wanted to protect the students and the staff from organisational madness/pressure. I moved to the  University of Cumbria and a few years later Nick applied for the Head of Department which I also went for. I was only ever glad that he got it and not me, as he was so good at the very difficult balances that were required.

Most of my memories of teaching with Nick are of us laughing, or going off into arcane little riffs whilst the bemused students looked on. He was a truly decent, honourable man, with such integrity. He was dutiful in ways that often served others, though not always himself. We edited a Person Centred Journal for a while and I remember the verve with which he took on one of the Pillars of the PCA, because of his deep belief in the power of the relationship. He was courageous and skilful, and he supported me in my professional development in such a generous way. For his leaving 'do' we ran old black and white films and a fellow colleague painted portraits of his favourite film stars. The evening was full of people whose lives he had so powerfully and positively impacted. There are so many practitioners out there who still refer to their internalised Nick, asking "what would he do, or say here" I've never worked with any other colleague who has been so influential and held in such regard. I also know how much he treasured his family. Nick was a star, and a dear friend. Trudy