I first met Nick, in London around 2009/10 as part of a group looking into housing and what needed to be done particularly in the social housing sector. We were a mixed group of academics, professionals, semi-retired, people-minded folk from a variety of backgrounds. Nick introduced himself to me shortly before the suggestion was made to make for the best Fullers pub he knew on the corner of Westminster! His camaraderie, his diverse interests, his experiences, and his ideas and knowledge of ales spilled out in conversation over a series of meetings and public house follows ups over many months leading into years. I thoroughly enjoyed Nicks company. He was a fearless networker and I am now friends for life with a number of contributors on this memorial site thanks to Nick's introduction. I’m one of those who took up the Centre for Housing (CHIP) idea which he first proposed and whilst we may have faltered in building the business we had some wonderful get-togethers with, and all thanks to, Nicks introduction. For me, there was an air of vulnerability about Nick but that was in the sense of a man who never offered harm to anyone and believed in the good in all. He was a lover, not a fighter – of good things, good ales, good food, and good people. He always wanted to embrace folk and talk about solutions. I cherish his memory and will raise a toast with my CHIP colleagues when next we meet. Here’s tae yae Nick. Gordon Keenan, Glasgow