We look forwards to seeing and meeting anyone and everyone who may wish to attend the service and the wake which will follow at a nearby venue (details available at the funeral, or feel free to email me for details if you're unable to make it to the service – (email Nick).
I've been very touched and delighted by all the people who have chosen to donate to the Lochaber Mountain Rescue team through the JustGiving.com/friendsofcolinbarnfather page.
I'm very grateful to Fuz, David, Parky, Di, Martin, Carla and Lloydie for their support in setting that up and for being generally quite marvellous. Even further there are a number of improv comedy groups out there who are also collecting donations, which is incredibly sweet (thank you We Are Improv and The Maydays and our home team MissImp).
If you would like to make a donation just follow the link, or if you would prefer to donate by text message just send a message to 70070 containing CBRN59 and the amount you wish to donate in a text message to e.g. 'CBRN59 £5'. Our funeral directors, Murray's will also receive and pass on donations.
We would love to get a collection of photographs of Colin from his many and varied walks of life, as well as any memories or anecdotes you would care to share.
So… Colin's funeral and memorial service is on Tuesday. I've written my eulogy and I think it's okay. I wrote and read a eulogy for my Nanna's funeral and I remember it being a peculiar experience. I'm used to performance and saying things in front of lots of people, but that's usually improvised and I stand by my belief that everything is fine as long as you don't plan it. Once you've written something there is endless possibility for disaster, every word is a raised paving slab and every dot and slash of punctuation an enladdered bucket. There's a lot of responsibility to say the right thing, and not nervously say anything appalling (genuine risk for me).
I'm slightly calmed by the knowledge that although I'm speaking first, three other people who knew Colin in different aspects of his life will be speaking afterwards. I'm looking forwards to hearing from his colleagues at Rolls Royce and the ATC where he spent so much of his time. Between us we can hopefully come close to encapsulating his life in affectionate and warm words.
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For many years my uncle Colin Barnfather has been attending our monthly improv comedy shows in Nottingham and had become part of the fabric of those events. Sadly he is no longeer with us after an accident while hill walking in the Scottish Highlands last month. I'd like to thank MissImp and the wondrous people we associate with for being so supportive of Marilyn and I over these last few weeks. Colin would have been grateful for your support too.
Colin's funeral and memorial service are this Tuesday 22nd October in Derby and if anyone who remembers Colin from our shows (or anywhere else) would like to join us there we would welcome your presence.