Thought a good way to explain a bit about my brother would be to add my speech at his funeral.....

Firstly I would like to thank you all on behalf of our family for the support, kind words and offers of help over the last two years, without you all this period of our lives would have been even more tough to get through.

Julian touched all of our lives with his kind heart and generous personality. Having read a lot of your words about Julian he provided many many laughs and smiles for us all, which is a true testament to what an amazing friend, son, brother and uncle he was.

I have too many stories and memories of the great times I had with my bro to read out but there are a few which really stick in my mind and heart.

When I was a lot younger maybe 7 or 8, Mum and Dad went out for an evening and left me in the capable hands of my big brothers. They invited friends over and sat down for dinner which I wasn't included in as they all thought I had been fed before Mum and dad left. I sat under the table protesting, crying and generally being a pain. After an hour or so I packed my big boy pants, socks, vests and teddy and told them I was moving out. I made it round the block before my brothers caught up with me. I still get stick for this 20 years later.

One thing that I have always associated with Jools was his dart playing, of course to his little bro this seemed like the most grown up "sport". One Thursday when I was 14 Jools was short of players and asked if I would like to play for them. After persuading Mum and Dad that I would be looked after, I went and also in my mind I became a 'man'. On my 18th I thought it would be good to celebrate at our darting pub, as you can imagine the look on the landlords face when they asked how old I had just turned having been drinking Newcastle brown ale there for the last 4 years!

Still to this day there are 4 of the original 6 playing week in week out, you would have though after 16 years we would be winning everything. Alas no, still third division. Jools would no doubt put this is partly to me, Gav and Dave's drinking. The whole team spend more time laughing than concentrating and a huge influence of this was Jools and our memories will keep the humour coming.

Jools also got me my first job in London working with him for Xerox. 14 years later I have forged a career out of the same business to which I owe a lot to Jools' dedication, work ethos and ability to make professional friendships, which blossom into lifelong friends. I think the IBA team for which Jools worked with for about 10 years right up until he was able to do so would second these thoughts and feel lucky to have had him in their lives.

From a personal note I cannot thank you enough for how amazing you have all been.  I know how much the blanket that you all made in spurs colours meant to him.

For a few of you in the room will remember Jools' 30th birthday in Maidstone. Jools was never a big drinker but he let his hair down at Icon nightclub and had a few...what he wasn't aware of was that a couple of the Stella's had contained vodka as well.........  Jools then proceeded to go round half of the ladies in the club and persuaded them to give him a birthday kiss. He looked like the cat that got the cream! 

However at the end of the night we had a ten minute walk home. Jools was leading the way and for some reason his trousers kept slipping down, after the fifth time of us telling him to pull them up, he grabbed a traffic cone and shouted back at us to go forth and multiply (or words to that effect anyway....). We were all crying with laughter, Jools has said many times that this was one of his best nights out, a statement that for those involved couldn't disagree with.

A passion that we both shared was for the mighty Tottenham hotspurs. We spent many hours watching this with friends and family both on the TV and at White Hart Lane. I will miss so much our weekly chats/texts about the weekend performance and how we would have done it better. I am so very sad that Oscar won't be able to experience Jools at a game but the memories I have will be passed down to him.

One of Jools close friends wrote to Tottenham explaining what he had been going through asking if they could do anything.  A week or so later Jools received a letter from AVB (Tottenham’s Manager) saying how sorry they were to hear the news and that all of the team wished him well.

One of my biggest daily challenges will be not hearing from him via text or call, there were not many occasions when we didn't get in contact and it will take a long time to stop looking at my phone hoping to see his name appear.

Oscar coming along has been a real gift to the family and has allowed us all to have a positive spin on life. Jools loved him so much and of course spoilt him as well. I was able to get quite a few photos of them together and will make sure he knows what an amazing man his uncle was.

As I found out recently Jools had made 2 videos for Oscar to see when he is older so that he can see for himself what an amazing uncle he was, this is another testament to how thoughtful he was.

Jools will be missed by all, he was a truly inspiring man and any who met him will have had their lives made more special.

You will forever be in my heart bro and never forgotten.

Love you x

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