Nigel was many things to many people. We knew him for around 14 years and he first MD’d me personally in Utopia Ltd in July 2010, when I stepped in to play King Paramount for SOS following the untimely death of Colin Sly and heart attack suffered by his replacement - sourced by Nigel from Christchurch - Alan Witherby. My enduring memory of Nigel during this challenging time is that he was patient, precise and above all kind. I went on to work with him in 12 further shows (including one which he MD’d and directed) and was in rehearsal with him for EOMS’ Chess and hoping to work with him again on SOS’s Evita. He also played for us at Ben’s funeral, accompanying (appropriately enough) A Friend is Still A Friend, despite undergoing treatment at the time for his own cancer. He was instrumental (pun intended) in ensuring that SOS and other groups he was involved in supported Ben’s childhood cancer research fund this year. He was so supportive and I know dozens of others who felt the benefit of his generosity. He is a great loss to the world, not only very small world of AmDram in the South and will be sorely missed, but we are fortunate to have so many happy memories of him, from baton waving to some very lively committee meetings at his house, assisted by red wine!