On Saturday 2nd August 2025 we gathered to celebrate the life of our friend and builder Gerry. It was a pleasure to meet lots of different people who had come into contact with Gerry, family, neighbours and friends. Thankyou all for joining us to make it a very special occasion.
A film of the celebration can be found here (thanks Doug Morrison) and we also have photos taken at the event (thanks Steve Gorton).
Gerry's family have also kindly shared the video that was taken at his funeral as so many of us were unable to attend and also photos from Gerrys life and his time at the Castle.
No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
John Donne
Your grief for what you’ve lost lifts a mirror
up to where you are bravely working.
Expecting the worst, you look, and instead,
here’s the joyful face you’ve been wanting to see.
Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes.
If it were always a fist or always stretched open,
you would be paralysed.
Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding,
the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated
as birdwings.
Rumi
Whose smile shone here I think I know
that glow lives in our memory though
perhaps he feels us happy here
to feel his warmth with hearts aglow
our short time here moves fast and slow
we strive and fail and stop and go
we climb and fall and try again
and life's few gems come to and fro
he tugged our arms to pull us near
our ears to fill with life's new queer
he made our days more blessed and quick
with peace and calm and happy cheer
the castle's charm will ebb and flow
but gerry's smile will always glow
within the walls, with thoughts just so
within the walls, with thoughts just so
Tim Maxwell
