Last week we shared the very sad news that our Executive Director of Finance, Gary Boothby, has died.

Gary worked with many colleagues and teams since he started at CHFT in 2016, and championed CHFT in all he did around the region. Since his death, many of our colleagues have been reflecting on the time they worked with him. So we've set up a virtual memory board for colleagues to add their own memories and thoughts.

Assistant Director of Finance, Jo Hardcastle, said: “Some of us have had the pleasure of working with Gary for all his time at CHFT, and some for not so long. Yes, he was our Director of Finance, but before that he was a kind and caring boss. No matter what life was throwing at him he always cared how you were and what he could do to help.

"He was always there with ‘let’s get a brew’ or a thank you card or a surprise delivery or a note when you were not too well. Words cannot explain how much he was admired and respected and appreciated for the great leader he was. We all wanted to do our best and succeed for him. Our Monday afternoon meetings always had an element of fun in them and what was going on in our lives.

"In short Gary was a friend primarily who had all our respect as our Director of Finance, and no one will ever be able to fill his shoes."

Deputy Director of Finance, Kirsty Archer, said: "I have worked alongside Gary for nearly 10 years and right now I feel like Robin without Batman or Morecambe without Wise. That's apt as Gary had wisdom in abundance, along with intelligence and a real sense of calm. He was a really honourable man and a friend to all that he met. He was able to find something in common with everyone, whether talking about football, family or work. He was also really brave, handling life's challenges with humour, often with a hilarious self-depreciating anecdote. Gary will be missed by many."

Do you have a memory of Gary you'd like to share?

We understand that colleagues may have personal memories of their time working with Gary or would like to leave a message. Our virtual memory board allows colleagues to share their own stories and memories, which we'll share at a later date with Gary's wife Treena, and his three children, Harry, Alice and Archie. Please be aware that to avoid bots and scams the posts will have to be approved, so your comment may not show immediately.