I first met Geraint through Freemasonry. Straight away – an aside. For those work colleagues who may read this and have wondered why, four times a year, Geraint would come into the office ‘suited and booted’ on a ‘dress down’ Friday, I can advise that it was due to our regular meetings and us all enjoying one another’s company!! On joining our Lodge, I noted that he lived in the local area. A few weeks later, I recognised someone on the morning train but, to my eternal shame, it was one of those situations where I could not remember how I knew him or even recall his name. Fortunately, Geraint’s memory was better than mine and, in his unfailingly modest and polite manner, he came over and introduced himself. It transpired that Geraint, along with Alessandra, commuted into town from the local station and so the usual tedium of the daily commute was transformed in an instant. Moreover, it quickly emerged that we worked in adjoining buildings in the City (Alessandra worked just around the corner). The conversations that were started on the train, continued as we all walked over London Bridge and through the lanes to our respective offices. The start of those days when we met up, were pleasurable. The chats were deep and wide ranging and reflected our common interests and passions…. ballet & opera, food & wine, boats, golf and rugby – the last of these revealing Geraint’s true pride in his Welsh roots. Friends and family were discussed – the idiosyncrasies and nuances of having a continental wife and, in particular, the difference in attitudes to entertaining between here and the continent. It was only with regard to Alessandra, that I ever saw Geraint moved to anything approaching anger. Even then, it was merely a case of strong indignation! On announcing his engagement, he became miffed at those people who assumed, given his age, that he had been married before. His reply, again given with the greatest respect, was simply that he had never before met the right girl. Geraint was a gentle man and a gentleman, caring and compassionate. He had a range of qualities that were both admirable and inspiring. To those of us lucky enough to have met and got to know him, these qualities will have rubbed off on us. Consequently, Geraint lives on. He lives on in us, our memories and, most importantly, in our hearts. GMT