Unexpected moments.

After the age of 2 I never lived with my father so all our meetings were arranged, but twice wondering through London I happened on him - once in Russell Square near his work when I was with friends and I think we all had a coffee together and the second time was when I was working at the ROH. I was passing a cafe rouge I think it was and there he was sat there, so of course I went in, and sat and talked for a while.

Ellie not just the voice but the smile too and the warm embrace.  He looked a little lonely that day, always up in London for work I guess it is inevitable you will eat alone.

When he worked at the University though he had a London flat, a couple in fact, one with long stairs up and big rooms with a plaque to Christina Rossetti on it, another even further up, on Handel Street, little oasis where one could spend time with him.

I was lucky to work with Brian on something called NUB.  The Nigerian Ugandan British project. It came out I think of other work to do with space satellites and education - Brian was technology way ahead at one point as I would often remind him as he struggled with facebook. The project was a more hands on human to human activity with educationalists and adult educators coming together to try and share ideas across the three countries.  I think Brian just invited me because of my love of international sharing and I helped organise some events on a volunteer basis such as Dr Chris Nwamuo coming to the University of London and other events co-ordinated with the Mental Health Film Council, but the highlight of hte project was our visit to Nigeria.  Brian funded by the British Council me by me on my  first visit to the fatherland or motherland. Both of us felt profoundly that in some ways we were home. Laolu Ogunniyi a big part of the event felt like a brother to Brian. Brian so usually to be found in a suit and tie removing it, even donning traditional Nigerian costume, playing talking drums, meeting and visiting with local kings and local prophets.  It had a profound impact on us and led to children from Nigeria coming over to the UK to experience a week's workshop with British kids. The children stayed at the University of London.  So while Brian is rightly known for his work in Finland for which he had a profound love, he also worked in Africa.