John Wilson and Julian Davies pass away

Having been ages since i last added a post it is really sad that i have have to write about loosing two friends over the weekend. John Wilson from Market Harborough was a lifelong friend/colleague/mentor of mine and someone i always looked up to and respected, unfortunately he lost his battle with cancer this weekend. He gave me many subtle steers in life that i shall always be grateful for. Our approach and outlook on life were very similar but his came in an engaging way with more experience. He had a great way to get me relaxed, positive and motivated, as i am am sure he did with others to,o and this meant I always fished well in his company which gave me many treasured memories. John had a great passion for the outdoors and absolutely loved all aspects of it. He enjoyed being out in the fresh air of the countryside and marvelled at how spectacular it can be. He wrestled with his conscience around how killing an animal could be conservationist as i do, but in his era of commercial excess, pesticides and habitat loss i have no doubt he gave back much much more! One of his qualities i admired most was that he was an excellent leader, not only managing many staff at Barclaycard and Barclays Bank but also their fishing clubs. He did this in an all encompassing way making everyone part of it and its success. The Barclays Fishing Club and thoughts of him will live on for many many years. Julian Davies was still fighting his cancer battle and we thought was on the winning side until unexpectedly passing away suddenly this weekend. Many Monday nights in Julian's company has been entertaining, engaging and enjoyable. He has done an enormous amount for fishing in Northamptonshire through Gilders and Mid-Northants. I have worked for him when he was Chairman and with him when a Vice-president and was always impressed how he had an aura of authority and used it in the right ways. Out on a fishing boat though and he was fantastic company but fiercely competitive. I remember very clearly how i am sure he tried to knock one of my fish off the line at Grafham that would have taken me one ahead. Funny how I perhaps liked him more for it too!