A couple of weeks ago we received the devastating news that our dear friend, huge supporter of, and advocate for, Gateway, had sadly, suddenly, passed away. Nick was a supporter of many organisations and groups, lots of whom have already written beautiful and eloquent words about him following this horrible loss. One I’m still battling to make sense of.
To me, Nick was one of the best listeners I know. Always interested, always warm and always giving you his full attention. A rare gift I think in these times when distraction is always so nearby, usually in the form of our phones of course! Around 10 years or so ago, Nick used this tool of distraction to help us; as an organisation and as individuals within it, to listen better, to really hear the voices of the people we work with, and to amplify those voices and use them to make sure the work we were doing responded to their voices. To what they were actually saying – rather than what we thought they might be saying! True co-production long before it became the focus it is now.
I’m talking of course about Nick’s brainchild, the Impact Assessment App; something many other organisations eventually used to support their work and people. The App, an oh so simple but oh so effective tool, that asked, all our stakeholders, how we’d helped them – via an app on our phones, of course! Quite often, most of the time in fact, the way we’d helped them was by listening. Something I suspect Nick knew would be the outcome all along!
I’m forever grateful that Nick collaborated with Gateway to test the App, as not only did it help us to really listen to our service users (and to use that voice in more effective ways) but it also introduced me personally to someone who I became fortunate enough to call a friend. Nick used that capacity to listen, really listen, to support me through some pretty difficult times, and is something I hope I am now able to do for other people. Not least at the moment for Nicks other friends and family, especially his partner, who I’m also fortunate to count as a dear friend.
For Gateway and for me, Nick’s legacy will be that we pay attention, that we really listen and that we use what we know to effect positive change. As the photos we’ve chosen we think represent Nick best, do that with a smile but if you sometimes have to stick two fingers up to get things done, so be it 😊
Thank you, Nick, for being our friend and for helping to shape Gateway as you have. Thank you for your warmth, wisdom and wit, we’ll endeavor to pay these qualities forward whenever and however we can.
Jo Harper
Chief Executive
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