When I first met my husband Ben, he was sharing a house with Pete in Putney, West London. I remember how warm and welcoming Pete was to me - he always found time for a chat and wanted to hear what was happening in my life and career.
Whilst Ben and I were living in Madrid, Pete came to spend new year with us, and whilst taking in some of the cultural highlights of the city, we fully embraced the eating of ham, the drinking of wine and dancing until 6am – many giggles and smiles were shared on that week-end!
When Pete became a teacher at Brighton College, we were so excited, as we had settled in Sussex and were able to see him on a regular basis. Pete would pop over for Sunday lunch, come to watch a footie match or go to the cinema. He loved playing Lego with Tom and Ed, and it was lovely for him to see them as they moved through primary school and grew up. Pete was Tom’s godfather, and Tom attended Brighton College whilst Pete was teaching there, although Pete didn’t teach him – more’s the shame!
Pete’s brave battle against motor neurone disease was truly incredible – when we visited, he seldom lost his sense of humour, always managed to make an insightful or helpful comment, and still wanted to hear about what our family was doing and how our lives were moving forward. He was a selfless and loving man, who brought great warmth to any situation – we miss him greatly and are lucky to have had him in our lives.