We have arranged a memorial service for Eddie Byers, our late chief executive, which will be held close to the English UK office in January.

All English UK members are welcome at the service, which will be held at St James Church in Clerkenwell, London, at 2pm on Wednesday 20 January 2016.

Our board and staff have been overwhelmed by the kind words posted on the English UK Forum, Facebook page and Twitter feed about Eddie since his death, as well as numerous emails. Steve Phillips, chair of the board, said: "The board and staff would like to thank everyone for their tributes to Eddie: many people mentioned his kindness, approachability and passion for our industry. We have all taken great comfort from this, and we know his family have too.

"We would also like to thank the staff of English UK for the way in which they have continued with the work of the association and supported each other and Eddie's family at a difficult time of great shock and their own personal grief."

We hope holding a memorial service in London will allow many more industry colleagues to remember Eddie formally than was possible at his funeral, which was held at the end of November in his home town of St Andrews and attended by more than 500 family, friends and colleagues. They included Sarah Cooper, former chair of English UK who worked most closely with Eddie, plus four members of staff.

Mourners were welcomed by Eddie's wife, Sam, and his two teenage children, Richard and Iona.

Sarah said: "We heard a wonderful, loving eulogy from his oldest friend and we laughed... and we cried. Eddie was buried, just outside the city, to the sound of a piper in the soft Scottish rain. We raised a glass to Eddie and we remembered the many wonderful things about him we will miss so much."