For those who knew him to ride with, he was called ‘Bail Out’ . . . . . A name he got for the frequency in which he would leave his bike or the trail.

When I say ride with him of course I refer to Mountain Biking. We would ride together once or even twice a week. All year round! If you know anything about Mountain Biking it can be wet and muddy. So you might be asking yourself, why Derek, a man who didn’t like the cold, getting wet or even getting muddy would take up Mountain Biking.

Well I think he liked a challenge!

To top it off, Derek had a really bad sense of direction – not great when your out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by trees, - and he always needed a toilet in the most inappropriate moment.

However, Derek was always prepared. If it was cold, he would turn up with four or five layers of clothing on. If it was wet, he would always have his water-proofs. If it was cold and wet  - - - well then he could hardly move. He enjoyed his bikes, we even heard reports of him taking a bath with one.  Apparently, (he told us later) this was the easiest way to clean them in the flat.

Maybe it wasn’t Mountain Biking he liked at all. Maybe it was just the great out-doors that he loved, or maybe it was just in his Welsh blood. For when Derek wasn’t riding he spent a lot of his time Walking, Swimming and Travelling.  His attraction with adventure started from an early age when he did 3 years in Australia. He also spent time in a Kibbutz in Israel and even lived in Scandinavia. He was well travelled and had a rounded personality because of it.

A large part of Derek’s life was spent working for Royal Mail. He was one of the team. Well after 14 year you would have hoped he’d have settle in.

However, you have to admit, he seemed to have his life in proportion, and “worked to live”! We would often joke that his holiday season would start in March and end in September.  He was the only man we new that had a holiday once a month, instead of once a year. But I know he really enjoying time with friends and family in the UK and abroad.

Derek had a lovely calm quiet way about him. He was always happy, had a great sense of humour and was quick witted. I’m sure all of us here today, will remember him for his relaxed, none-stressed attitude to life. He always seemed to have time! Nothing was too much trouble! He really had a Heart of Gold!

But, from all the time we spent with him, there were two things that stood out in his life;

his love of his girls and his passion for all things Welsh!

Derek died doing something that he loved! He has “bailed out” for the last time and we will all miss him.