I know John had spoken to Mark about today, and had asked him to speak on his behalf. Your dad would be so proud Mark…

For those that don’t know me, I’m Charlie. Leah asked if I would say a few words on behalf of John from a ‘friends’ perspective. As difficult an ask as that is, it is also a great honour, so I will do my best to capture some of the thoughts and feelings that so many of us had for John… I couldn’t possibly capture them all - there are just too many. Friends and memories.

I will start by saying that it was an absolute privilege to have had John as a friend. I have never known anyone so driven, energetic, brave, daring and adventurous - and annoyingly good at pretty much everything.

He was also a loyal friend. Dependable. Inspiring. Fearless. An absolute rock. If he said he’d be there, he would. If help was needed, he came. If something needed fixing, he’d do it. You never needed to look anywhere else if John was your friend. It helped of course if the ‘help’ requested involved smashing something up or burning it down.

One of John’s greatest passions in life was of course motorbikes. He generally got excited about anything with an engine… golf buggy’s, chainsaws, go-karts, aircraft… but it was motorbikes where his heart truly lay. They say 4-wheels moves the body, 2-wheels moves the soul. Well John had some soul.

Over the past 15 years or so I, like many others here today, had the pleasure of some wonderful adventures with John on our iron horses… Between us we toured the UK, much of France, the length of Spain, out across Germany and Poland - and as far down as Morocco. With John you always knew there was an adventure to be had no matter where you went. He would push the boundaries, take you to new places, introduce you to strangers - whether you wanted to or not. You couldn’t help but follow. He'd push you hard, but he wouldn't let you down. And whilst spending time with John on a bike trip was always an adventure, riding with him could be quite irritating at times - because he was so annoyingly good at it.

On road… off road… on the track…across the desert…. It didn’t matter what bike John was riding, or what surface he was riding it on… he was simply untouchable. Most of us tried to keep up with him. Few succeeded. In a straight line he was fair game, but if the road got twisty and bumpy, he was gone. Some tried to stay with him, and found themselves professionally embarrassed. Like the instructor from the Institute for Advanced Motorcyclists, who on his first ride out with John told him to ride as fast as he liked - he wouldn’t lose him. I don’t think the instructor saw John for the next 20 minutes, and that was only because John had decided to stop and wait.

For the rest of us, it was a game. Who could stay with John? Every now and then, one of us would get it wrong - and on the odd occasion, end up in a ditch.

Now - with a background in saving life from his year’s in the military and Fire Service, there was no-one’s bike you would rather see coming back towards you. Or so you would think. Because the first thing John would always do when he stopped was get off his bike, get out his phone, and then take a photo. He never missed an opportunity… Just once - and I do feel a little ashamed to be saying this - it would have been nice to see John get it wrong. Nothing serious - a soft landing in a bush with his tail-light sticking out would have been sufficient. Just enough time to allow us to get our phones out. I only ever once saw John get it slightly wrong. It was in the depths of France. Whilst motoring along a beautifully smooth open road, John (being John) decided with no notice to abruptly turn off down some track that no-one else had even noticed. In a flash he was gone. Off like a mountain goat to see where it took him. So a couple of us followed - as was tradition - only to see with some pleasure - John get the first corner wrong. Off through a hedge he went and into the farmers field beyond. Seconds later, you could see the crops parting as John - now in motocross mode - carved his way back on himself, across the field, and up onto the track. It would have been funnier if it wasn’t for the fact that he was actually riding my bike at the time… Even when John got it wrong, he made it right. And look good in the process. Like I said. Irritating…

But moments like that summed up John for me. John would never opt for the easy option. If there was a path to explore, an adventure to be had - John would take it. And if things didn’t go quite to plan, you knew he would find a solution. And that didn’t just apply to biking. It pretty much applied to everything he did. Whether it was a bike trip across Morocco, a house to renovate, a wall or a barn to knock down, a business to build, a desert to run across, a family to look after - John would do it all. Undaunted. He was the Duracell Bunny that just wouldn’t slow down.

John also knew a bit about fire safety - although you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise if you ever saw him near one. His bonfire nights were legendary. One particular evening springs to mind. As things drew to a close in the early hours, it was time for the grand finale - the aptly named ‘End of The World’ firework was brought forward. Having lit the fuse, John stepped back - nothing happened. Now I can clearly recall watching Blue Peter as a child… and I distinctly remember being told never to return to a lit firework. And I’m pretty sure they advised not to pick a firework up and examine it having lit it… And they certainly didn’t recommend throwing the firework onto the fire… It was called ‘The End of the World’ for a reason. Leah and Lottie both achieved a personal best that evening, reaching the sanctuary of the house in record time. John and Mark both reverted to their military training, hitting the ground as rockets and flares passed overhead. But John knew his stuff. Firesafe Solutions is testament to that.

I know Leah and the family have been hugely moved by the number of messages that they have received from colleagues, clients, and former fire-fighters from across the service recognising John’s professionalism in his work. His knowledge and experience and were second to none.

John wasn’t all about motorbiking and fire safety… He loved life. With Leah. With his family. With his friends. Sailing holidays with Mark and Lottie. Weekend breaks with Alan and Kate. Dining out with Phil and Jess. Adventures with Mark, Andy, and myself… biking or otherwise. Time with Tim and his family… Running the Marathon Des Sables… there’s too much to list.

And then there were the parties. Leah’s 40th, John’s 50th, Leah’s 50th, Firesafe Solutions 10th anniversary. Christmas parties. Birthday Parties. Kate’s Wedding. Kirstin’s Graduation. Fire pits, hog roasts, country retreats, marquees, free bars, hot tubs, inflatable parrots…. The list just goes on… It’s amazing he had time for bikes. But he did.

Whether it was track days at Silverstone, hill climbs on Guernsey, adventures around Morocco - or racing his beloved C90 around Mallory Park with his son Mark…

I was given a t-shirt once that had written across the front the words: ‘Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly’ Now I know John wasn’t a religious man, but if anyone was destined to be a guardian angel, it’s him… and I know he can keep up. A proper Superman. And he was. Not because of the way he rode a bike, or his constant knack of being in the right place at the right time...rescuing women from over turned cars or children from aquatic enclosures… …not for his ability to inspire confidence in those around him when things got difficult… nor for his ability to save himself and others from an End of The World firework gone wrong… …or indeed for his unwavering determination to beat his cancer despite all the odds… For me, John was Superman not his heroics, but for his modesty. His un-assuming nature. His ability to just get it done, sometimes un-noticed, sometimes without thanks, but never with any expectation of recognition. Always putting others first.

John was Superman, because John was Clarke Kent. But if I may, I’m actually going to finish with a quote from another super-hero - Batman - who once said: “…It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me…” What John did defined him. In fact, to most of us it made him a legend. Our very own superhero. He was an inspiration to all. A source of constant energy, drive, fun, and adventure. An unwavering love for life, with a moral compass fixed on truth north at all times. I was proud to be his friend, and blessed to have shared so many adventures with him. Rest in peace my friend.