I stood with James Fagan and Katy Coope at the farewell concert of CB&S in Derby. It was in the afternoon, but Freda was at a conference in Birmingham, and only arrived at teatime.

Barry whispered to her, "It's not our last concert - we've got one more! And because you missed this one, I'd like you to come. But it's in Ypres!"

We took the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge and drove to Ypres. We were having a beer in the In Flanders Fields museum before the concert, when a man in a red jacket joined us at our table.

Have you got your seats yet? he enquired. We've put our bags on two seats at the back, I replied. No! No! No! he said, slapping the table three times, That won't do at all! You must sit with us.

And so we joined Michael and Clare Morpurgo on a large, black, leather sofa on the front row. That was a memorable evening. Thank you, Barry. We will always remember your kindness.