I first met Michael Gerard as part of the Lib ED collective at one of the Freedom in Education conferences in Leicester in the late 1980s. Always a friendly face and impeccably polite, hospitable and welcoming to his home, Michael was also a tireless campaigner for equality of access for all to the things that make life better: freedom, community, music, (to play, to participate and to listen), good food, a glass of wine and great and challenging conversation.

As an educator, particularly working with visually impaired students, Michael was always enthusiastic to find better ways to communicate and participate. He extended this into his musical endeavours, as a founder of the Green Shoots Ceilidh Orchestra, as well as always being keen to stand in, to jam, and to play his fiddle at every opportunity.

Politically, Michael always challenged ideology and political orthodoxy, at times taking extreme but considered positions on issues in order to generate debate and discussion and to broaden all of our understanding. He was a lovely, principled, generous man, and I am proud to have been able to consider him a good comrade and a good friend.

Bar Bowen
October 2020