I journeyed down to Bromyard last Saturday to attend the Funeral Service of Simon Walker in St. Peters Church. The church was full with his family, his friends and his colleagues. They came from all over the UK as during his 52 years life he had travelled far and collected many friends and colleagues on the way.
His colleagues from English Nature (now Natural England) were there, his colleagues from the old days at Severn Trent were there, his BTO ringing friends from the midlands, his friends from the Worcestershire Trust, his friends who had accompanied him on his regular trips over the years to ring the seabirds of the Treshnish Isles off Mull, and of course the Bardsey Observatory and Trust and the island were represented by myself, Dick Loxton, and Gwydion Morley and Kim Atkinson (who have remained his good friends since they both left the island some years ago).
I think all people present learned a lot more about Simon and his devotion to wildlife conservation, as they listened to his brother and his colleagues talk of his skills, committment and humour that we all knew he possessed.
Jan, his wife, appealed to us all to keep in touch and to relate to Angus, their son, any memories we have of his father so that he will have these in the future to remind him of his wonderful dad.
I am sure those of you who had the pleasure and privilige of meeting, working and just being around Simon will do that small thing for them.
Jan and the family gave Simon a private Green Funeral in the morning - he was put in the ground in a wicker coffin, decorated by Jan, as he requested - a conservationist to the end.
I certainly am proud to have known him - you are invited to please post any memories you have of Simon on this BLOG.
Bevan
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