I had the great pleasure of working with Norman on a wide range of urban regenewal programmes at Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Unlike so many other senior colleagues in local government, who engaged in intrigue and empire building, Norman consistently saw his role as one of serving the public to the very best of his abilities - quietly and diligently working to ensure that people in the most deprived areas of the city had homes that were fit for purpose. More than that, Norman took the utmost care to communicate with everyone he engaged with in a clear, warm and caring and professional way.
Being myself the son of a man who gave over 6 decades of service to the Boys' Brigade in my native Northern Ireland, I can fully identify with the testimonies that Norman's colleagues in the BB movement have placed here. In every aspect of his life, Norman personified 'all that tends towards a true Christian manliness'. We shall not see his like again.
Laird Ryan
28/08/2025