Some will have heard already, so for those who haven’t yet heard, it is with the deepest sadness that we have to announce the death of Colin, our resident stalwart here at the Hull and East Riding LGBT Network. Colin is one of the founding members of the movement, alongside Ryan, Dan and Tom, who together used the 2012 Hull pride petition to fight so called gay to straight conversion therapy.

This campaign was a turning point for Colin in many ways, not least because it gave him a real appetite for campaigning, but he was also more and more appalled by the practice every time he read up more about it. Colin always had a real driven passion for doing the right thing, and saw NOTHING that was good about this conversion therapy practice. That campaign really got the Network campaigning, and we ended up getting around 500 signatures on our petition, which Hull North MP Diana Johnson presented to Parliament for us.

Colin was constantly blogging on this very website. Most of the blogs on here were written by Colin, and none of them could be argued with. His steely resolve shone through on each occasion. Whether it be our hate crime campaign, or ensuring that LGBT children are not left behind or isolated at school simply for being LGBT. This is something Colin felt very passionately about, the fact that no child should be left behind in ignorance. He was right too. Plenty have been in the past, something that shouldn’t go on. Colin himself was criminalised by this country just for having the audacity to be attracted to other men, and as such cared deeply that that didn’t continue. This has been evidenced by his admiration for Dan Billany, who Colin has written about on this site.

On a personal level, Colin was a man with a rich education, that he valued deeply, and used keenly. That keen, sharp mind was a treasure to behold, and whenever you saw Colin, you always learnt something. A man who always had a story to tell. A good, kind hearted man, who always wanted what was right. A grafter, who knew how to fight for what was right. The world is a poorer place without you Colin. Rest in peace mate :-(