Andy Potter 26th February 2017. R I P

Oh I really did not want to be writing this, but I hope you’ll understand that in my small way, this is my tribute to a Gentleman who died of cancer on Sunday, and I know this tribute is shared by my colleagues at Carsington Water.  This is about the BBC Radio Derby presenter Andy Potter, who announced to his audience on his radio show at the end of January 2017 that he had incurable cancer.

I was diagnosed with stomach cancer last May, and I was a lucky one - the brilliant team at the Royal Hospital Derby got to me soon enough and removed my cancerous cells, and nine months later I am here to write this tribute.   

So, I do have some understanding of the trauma of Cancer, but Andy was only 55 and that makes it so unfair.

I met and was interviewed by Andy 4 times, all in connection with the Osprey project at Carsington Water. Andy often visited Carsington incognito, with his family, and charged me with letting him know when there was an Osprey that he could come and interview. I am so sad that I did fulfil his wish.

He first came when we erecting the nest posts in 2012, and he told me that this photo taken during his visit, was on the wall in the Derby studio.

He came again in 2013 for a progress report, and due to the inclement weather, John Matkin and I were interviewed underneath scaffolding at the main centre.

The next time we met was in the Studio, probably to talk about the additional Osprey nest that we were erecting, and I can just see him sitting as the sound console in that distinctive pose of his, hands behind his head.

                                                                    

I said “I’m sorry I’m going on a bit” to which he replied, “I’m thoroughly enjoying listening to you talking…I’ll tell you when to stop!”  

The last time we met, at Carsington in 2016 was to talk about Ospreys and the Beginners Bird walks, which had been running for 10 years, and which had just booked in the 1,000^th person keen to learn about birding. I drove him to the tip of Stones Island in our work buggy, and we chatted about our plans, and the new hide that the Volunteers were installing. 

He then chatted to Pat Spencer, a regular bird watching volunteer at the Wildlife Centre. Pat told him what the public enjoyed, and some of the excitement that we engendered with children when they looked through quality telescopes and binoculars.

Andy was so easy to chat to, and he had the skill of relaxing interviewees very quickly.. (well he certainly did with me) and he listened without interrupting or imposing his opinion.

I used to love Terry Wogan. I had a cousin, Roger Bennett who did a regular morning chat-show programme on BBC Radio Bristol. Now we have lost 3 presenters that the public loved. Three of a kind - they will hit it off together!!

R I P