Tributes from Innocent

Tributes from Richard's colleagues at Innocent Drinks:-

· Richard managed the IT development team here at innocent. He was one of the most straight forward, natural, engaging, and above all, amusing people I have ever worked with. He leaves a big gap and will be sorely missed.
· Forget about being the creator of Chemoman, Rich WAS the Amazing Human Cake Radar: he could sniff out a birthday from the other side of the office and always returned with a slice, no matter how small the cake or how many people. Days without cake foraging were bad.
· The psychic link with Dave & how they would turn up in matching Tshirts on 3/5 days a week.
· The best desk buddy ever: no one else has ever sung or crooned at me so much.
· My main memories of Rich are the long, rambling conversations we would have in the car on the way into work - He would make fun of everyone and everything and always had big plans and schemes for the future. Secondly, the Elvis costume he wore to the last Christmas Do. Unfortunately, it was made of some kind of cheap plasticy rubber thing (including the wig). We had to contend with a 6'4" Elvis, sweating profusely. Very pleasant. He was a big personality in the IT Team and it's way too quiet without him.
· Energy and enthusiasm for everything and I mean everything, the best and (I fear that last) panto dame we will see here at Fruit Towers, he is (and always will be) sorely missed
· Richard had a great big infectious smile that he brought with him to work every day.
· Was always the life of the party, I remember a particular innocent knees up where we had the school uniform outing, there is nothing more hilarious or shocking than seeing a 6ft giant dressed as a 12 year old school boy propping up the bar and racking up the drinks bill faster than you can say hypnotist. I will miss Rich's personal way of explaining techy terms using stick men drawings!
· Rich and I were in the bar after one of the IT do's and there was a separate party of people who we started chatting to. When Rich was asked what his job was he said we were biscuit designers. "Well you know the chocolate bourbon's that was us. We also had a hand in jammy dodgers but that wasn't our best work." When pressed further, as funnily enough people didn't believe him, his response was that "someone had to design them".
· Typical of his randomness and ability to keep a straight face whilst on the wind up.
· Top gags and a top fella.
· Rich was a brilliant brilliant man. He made me chuckle every single time we spoke, whatever we talked about. His outlook was pretty special, it always helped put things in perspective. A good few of my classic innocent moments and quotes are down to him.
· Rich once taught me the correct way for a pantomime horse to walk. Apparently my initial technique was a bit basic.
· He had a wonderful attention to detail.