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Zap (Kyriacos Tsaparelli) on Derek's birthday

In the preparation of Derek's birthday party there were numerous meetings and discussions behind the scenes. Many boys said they would love to be there, but had family and work commitments.

It was a very special occasion for me. I had a fantastic rush on that day; it was a sort of "payback" for what he gave me. I would do it again at the drop of a hat.

I know that deep down, to have someone like Derek to inspire me from the age of 11 to the age of 18 has made a big mark on my life. I do not know whether any of you out there can think of any one person to have changed your life, but to me it is Derek.


I got married in 1989 when I was 35 years old ........ I called Derek all those years after I left school, because I wanted him to be there at my wedding. It was a traditional Greek wedding, but out of the 600 or so guests that were there, I was more happy to have Derek there than all the others put together. I am not getting slushy ... it's just that I really do not know what I would have become if he hadn't been in my life.

A lot of the house trips to concerts, exhibitions, Aldebrough canoeing, all the dinners we had for winning the House rugby; everything and more was all funded by him - NOT the school. He had a passion to give his boys the best he could. And to be fair, a lot of them were not privileged in any way, so to have a "surrogate father" like Derek was really something to treasure. I do not think many would see it like I do, and certainly would not express it in the same way, but who gives a monkey's?

By the way, I could not have done it without Fay Presto, who played a pivotal role behind the scenes both in advance and on the day, motivationally, spiritually, financially and practically. She also performed some superb magic during the lunch and also later in the evening and this added a temendous extra sparkle to the day.