My beautiful Nan has passed away with Covid-19. I am glad she had my Mum and my Dad cradling her when she passed away. She had Dementia and would always hum songs to herself to get to sleep. When she passed she was humming Nat King Cole’s ‘Goodnight Irene‘ in the arms of my Mum.

She taught me so much. I’d like to share a few things she taught me.

Firstly: get dolled up on big occasions and feel special! She would make us all look fancy each Christmas - no pyjamas allowed. Jewels and dresses, shirts and watches!

Love will be expressed through food and hugs. Big family meals! Homemade Jam Roly Poly or Apple Crumble for desert. At Christmas, mince pies laced with enough whisky to get you drunk. And the rule: if you made the Sunday Roast, you get the largest piece of pork scratching!

Surround yourself with life. She adored flowers. Her garden was her pride. It was a statement of status -a lady who was rescued by Romany Gypsies after being wrongly admitted to an institute as a child. ‘A garden is an Englishman’s only earthly chance of self-made paradise.’

Family is love. Cherish every moment. No matter how big the argument don’t sleep on an argument and don’t let frustration win. She was the matriarch that held a large and very dysfunctional family together.

Get drunk and value cheer and joy. She was always the first to crack open a beer and loved hosting big family booze ups. She was the kind of woman who wouldn’t want to the party to end and whose infectious joy was the best that about the party.

You are and will always remain my hero and idol. You deserve a great grandson and I hope the values and love you taught me will give you that. Goodnight Irene, goodnight Nan