IN LOVING MEMORY OF HORACE GILKES Also known as Richard Beverley Gilkes Many people asked about charity donations in lieu of flowers. How do you start to choose just one charity for a man who cared so deeply and so passionately about so many things? On his journey through life he touched many hearts and will be remembered in different ways by many people. I feel very privileged to have spent the last 20 years with this remarkable man. I loved hearing him tell his stories and sing his many songs. Trying to organise the memory and celebration of his life seemed like an impossible task. We were all dealing with the shock of the sudden loss of our very dear Horace. We intended choosing a charity for the day of his funeral but didn’t, with so many other things to think about. Family had rushed to my aid, some travelling from Suffolk, Minehead, London…. As people travelled back to their homes and I sat in ours, I realised I needed to choose a charity. Our much-loved cat was from the RSPCA, Horace had been treated for prostate cancer, he suffered from arthritis, he was starting to recover from an ulcerated leg, but it was his heart, which so suddenly let him down. He had been an active part of Forest School Camps, a tour leader in Iceland, an artist and so much more…. News of his death is still spreading and I look forward to reading or hearing any tributes in the future. I needed to make a decision for the people who had asked me about “charity donations in lieu of flowers” I turned to my daughter Kirsty, and we came up with RNLI “Lifeboats” as we had such happy times with Horace by and in the sea. The more we talked, the more it seemed like the right choice. That very evening the three of us had sat round the kitchen table, looking forward to the Easter break we had planned by the sea and discussing which coastal areas we would go to later in Spring and Summer. He always popped into the “Lifeboat shop” to buy something useful. I looked out of the window and saw the lifeboat sticker which he had displayed in the window of our old VW campervan. We would draw great comfort from knowing that the Horace or Richard you knew lives on in your memories, whether you drop a coin in a collection box or contribute via this website. Any donations sent to me will go to these courageous men of the sea. Please don’t feel you have to donate, just enjoy being by the sea as much as he did. I intend adding more photos and memories and hope you will feel free to sign the visitor's book, add a message, photo or light a candle for Horace.