Noticeboard your letters Remembering a life cut short I was shocked and very saddened to see, in Januarys TS Today, that Hamish Simmonds had died. My life crossed paths with Hamishs at Wokingham District Council, where he was a principal trading standards officer and my line manager from 2004-2007. I grew fond of him and respected him, both as a professional and an individual. I have two main memories of him. The first and the moment when I got to know Hamish properly was when we teamed up, after the arrest of a counterfeit DVD seller at a market, to track down the traders address in Ealing, where he stored many thousands of fake DVDs. Hamishs determination to get the best possible evidence inspired me as a junior officer. It was only as a result of his persistence and great determination that we left Ealing with around 8,000 seized counterfeit DVDs packed into my Nissan Almera car. I remember driving along the A40 at around 10pm having been working since 7am with a Lucozade in my hand, laughing and joking with Hamish as we headed back to Wokingham. My second memory of Hamish is perhaps my fondest. Just after a Home Authority meeting with a local estate agent, on a damp, rainy evening, he confided in me that hed met someone who lived far away. His dilemma was whether or not to go with his heart and give up his job as a manager to live with his partner, who couldnt move to where he lived. I am sure Hamish wasnt surprised by my advice, but what did surprise me especially given his apparent career focus was that he did resign, accepting a more junior post when he moved. As can be seen from last months TS Today, Hamish quickly regained his position on the career ladder and accelerated on. My shock is that such a young, capable man should leave us so soon. My sadness is that Hamish was a great person whose life has been cut short someone who contributed a lot as a trading standards professional but, above all, as a person. My happiness, however, is that you, Hamish, can be confident that those like me whose paths crossed yours, will ensure that our fond memories of you live on. You have left a positive and memorable mark on my career and, above all, reinforced my positive impression of human nature and the beauty of life itself. Alonso Ercilla Winnersh, Wokingham, Berkshire