The obituary notice of Neil BAXTER

I am so very sorry to hear of Neil’s passing. He gave me my first opportunity in libraries, and I will always be grateful for his kindness, encouragement, and belief in me. Working with him was a privilege - he was not only deeply knowledgeable but also had that unmistakable twinkle in his eye that made even the busiest days brighter. His guidance made a lasting impression on me, and I am very grateful for the time I had to learn from him. My sincere condolences, Alison

As a tribute to Neil I have just donated blood for the first time in over 10 years (even though I achieved a silver medal for donating some years ago).

I had the privilege of knowing Neil for over 25 years first as a colleague but very quickly as one of my dearest friends.

I’m finding it very difficult to write this as it just makes me very emotional realising that I will never get to see or speak to Neil again.

I have met very few people who were as kind, empathetic and genuinely a decent person.

Neil was always there to for me when I was experiencing yet another heartbreak or just needed to vent…but even more so he was a real shoulder to cry on whilst I was going through an ongoing struggle to fulfil a need to have a family. He was one of the few people who really understood that involuntary childlessness is a lifelong issue not one that disappears at a certain age.

Goodbye my dearest friend. I will miss you greatly and never forget the lovely times we had over the years xxx 💐💐

I was shocked and saddened to hear that Neil had died so prematurely.. During the time when I was Head of Hertfordshire Libraries, he made a huge contribution to the service. I worked closely with him on some challenging projects, and it was always a pleasure. He was warm, calm and positive, and his unfailing sense of humour could brighten the most difficult of days. He was a valued colleague, and a lovely man.

I was shocked and saddened to hear that Neil had died so prematurely.. During the time when I was Head of Hertfordshire Libraries, he made a huge contribution to the service. I worked closely with him on some challenging projects, and it was always a pleasure. He was warm, calm and positive, and his unfailing sense of humour could brighten the most difficult of days. He was a valued colleague, and a lovely man.