A long-term member and stalwart supporter of the Bristol Microcar Club, Melvyn "Mel" Evans represented all that was best about microcars and microcar people in his native south Wales. Over the years the Bristol Club has established a reputation for organising and running some of the most popular regional rallies, and much of the credit should be attributed to Mel. He was not one to demand that his name should be writ large across the cover of the programme, preferring the anonymity of a modest man. Among his other club involvements was a membership, dating from 1985, of the Berkeley Enthusiasts Club.

Mel contracted cancer, and despite a brave fight and the good wishes of his friends, succumbed to the disease on 28th March 2003. The Microcar movement will be very much poorer without the friendly good humour radiated by Mel Evans.

SIMON RICHTER

We have learned, with regret, of the death of Simon Richter. Simon's name became familiar to readers of RUMCAR News when he introduced the Solocar Register page as a regular feature, and he succeeded in unearthing an astonishing array of information relating to these seemingly unremarkable vehicles.

Simon's awareness of the Solocar and other invalid vehicles came about because he was, himself, quite severely disabled. Few who read his page would have known. It is equally unlikely that anyone would have realised how young he was - I understand he was not yet out of his teens - such maturity did he exhibit, not only in his writing style and enthusiasm for unusual microcars, but in his whole manner and attitude to life.

Not content with inflicting a major physical handicap on Simon, fate proved its capacity for cruelty when he learned that he had contracted a rare form of cancer in the muscles of his shoulder. In a quite matter-of-fact way Simon explained that, depending on the severity of the condition, he might lose some of the use of the arm, or it might have to be amputated altogether. How anyone can cope with such a situation is beyond me, and I am not sure whether to reflect on my own good fortune or to be angry at the misfortune of others. Simon underwent treatment, and it is an indication of his admirable spirit that while attending hospital in the Midlands, he made a point of seeking out and purchasing a cache of Model 70 invalid tricycle spare parts for the car he was restoring at home in Dorset. Just when it seemed that treatment would be successful, Simon was admitted to hospital for what he regarded as routine surgery, planning a further expedition to purchase more spares on his discharge. Sadly, his condition deteriorated and his short life came to an end.

I never met Simon Richter. Now I never will and I feel cheated. He was a remarkable young man. I'm sure we all extend our sympathy to Simon's family at this sad time.

Tony Marshall