When it comes to colourful personalities, Nicki was as vibrant as the colour of her hair! A rainbow peeking through and brightening the sky on rainy days.

Nicki was born in Banbury 18th May 1961 the eldest of two children to secretary Jillian and research physicist Michael. The family would soon move to Highlands Road, Bridgnorth and whilst they didn’t have much, Michael’s ingenuity and practicality ensured their family had all they needed.

Nicki was very private and reserved but learnt how to use the rules to her advantage, such as joining the clubs that ensured first place in the lunch queue.

Michael obviously felt strongly about broadening his children’s minds and devised ways to take the family on holidays across the UK and all of Europe each year, although this left Nicki with an abiding hatred of camping and budget holidays.

Nicki’s first childhood love was horse riding. She loved them and would come home from school and be straight up to the stables riding, mucking out, helping out on the farm and competing. She loved all Pony Club activities and was super competitive, and totally undeterred by falls and accidents.

Her second love was motorbikes! From the age of 16 up until moving to Redditch, she loved nothing more than a fast motorbike! And when Nicki learned to drive, Dad Michael was always fixing up and repairing cars for her and the family until she could afford her own beloved Celicas.

Upon leaving school, Nicki went to Wolverhampton where she graduated in Business Studies. It was whilst in Wolverhampton that a very articulate and savvy Nicki bought the flat she lived in, in a bid to get onto the property ladder. As she moved up this ladder she soon became fascinated by architecture and the history of buildings, developing a special passion for Worcestershire’s Witley Court.

After several short roles in video editing and marketing Nicki gravitated to the role of IT management at Wolverhampton Council, developing a flare for using new technology in ways not previously considered.

In 1998, Nicki moved to Redditch where she bought her home on Walkwood Road, simultaneously joining the senior management team at Halfords. After Halfords she briefly joined The Law Society but more recently applied her skills to charity work such as trying to turn around the fortunes of the Artrix. She always threw herself heart and soul into all her roles with unwavering passion in supporting the people at the heart of every organisation.

It was in 2003 that she was in Edwards no 8 in Birmingham. Across from her in the club was Nic who had not long returned to the UK after living in Chicago. Taking a fancy to him after he caught her eye, Nicki asked him to dance and I think it is fair to say that the rest is history!

Since that fateful day, the two have been inseparable and have not only attended numerous music gigs and enjoyed being on the rock scene, they enjoyed many travels abroad and in the UK also.

Nicki was always a keen and accomplished photographer, and now Nic has hundreds upon thousands of photographic memories of their time together to look upon. When I met with Nic to go through the arrangements for today, on the table in the lounge sat at least three digital cameras and decades worth of pre-digital photos in boxes. Nicki’s passion was clearly visible.

Always looking for new experiences and skills they took up sailing, diving and falconry but during a visit to California they went for a horse trek on Malibu Beach in Los Angeles which held beautiful memories for them both. Nic’s first time on a horse, a truly breathtaking and priceless experience for them both sowed the seed for what was to come. Then following a holiday in Devon where the owner exercised her competition horse each morning and chickens roamed free, they decided what their next move would be.

Together they had many horses over the years, fulfilling her lifelong passion. They began by loaning horses before buying their own. Whilst remaining child-free, Molly, Queen, Crystal, Verve, Marco and especially Breaker were her babies, coming only second to her treasured cats!!

Their original search for a young competition horse led them to Whitford Sports horses and owner Sarah Hedges. 15 years on and the friendships at Whitford Bridge have grown ever stronger. As her horses got more successful at show jumping, Nicki took to the new discipline of dressage in order to school the horses and leave the competitive jumping to the expert.

In May 2023 Nicki sprained her right calf and when she developed a limp and saw the doctor, she was referred to neurophysio who diagnosed her with sciatic nerve damage. When things didn’t improve, they insisted on a second opinion and tests revealed a diagnosis of limb-onset motor neurones disease in December last year.

Not one single person could have known that the rate at which the disease would progress for Nicki would be so rapid. It has been both earth shattering and heart breaking to witness for all involved. None more so than Nic. This disease has been cruel and relentless. It cares not for the body it consumes in such a destructive and utterly heartless manner. But throughout it all, Nicki remained positive, wore a smile, and gave as good as she got! She planned and organised today’s proceedings and less than a month from her passing she was even at what she knew would be her last 3 Counties Show supporting her horses.After a gruelling 7 months, she passed away peacefully at home with Nic and good friend Karen at her side on 11th July.

In hearing of Nicki’s passing, copious amounts of people contacted Nic with a total outpouring of love and emotion. I would like to share with you some of the words that were said by those who knew and loved Nicki.“she was such a positive force and so calm – nothing seemed to phase her. She obviously cared for the people and the organisation very much” – these words coming from one of the people she worked with during her time working for the charity at the Artrix in Bromsgrove.Nic told me that Nicki always thought that anything was possible. She believed she could make things happen and helped people become better versions of themselves. He saw this for himself in so many ways, and in the lives of those she touched. Closing the Artrix took a big toll on Nicki but she went on to help out at the Palace Drum Clinic and the Hanbury Country Show. It is a person from there that wrote the following – “she was patient and did everything so well, efficiently and thoughtfully”They have also expressed their intentions to have a special award in Nicki’s name at next year’s show.When Nic was working with a poet in April for an arts event in Redditch, they too conveyed an impression of Nicki that Nic believes most people would have of her, and I have to agree. They were quoted as saying – “I remember well my all too brief conversation with Nicki – how easy it was, and how warm. I got a real sense of how wonderful and lovely Nicki was.”Then again, when Nic broke the news on social media, the outpouring of condolence and kind words were again simply heart warming. Everyone commented about how sorry they were for Nicki’s loss and how awfully sad it was. Claire Dyson said – “This is such a cruel world! Nicki was just simply a lovely lady! So supportive and a loyal person. Her loss leaves a massive hole in your lives”There were so many messages and comments expressing utter disbelief and heartache. Good friend Sarah Hedges shared the news on her social media profile and said the following words – “My beautiful friend Nicki passed away from MND yesterday. Sometimes you bump into people along the way and you have no idea at the time what a huge difference they are going to make to your life. It won’t be the same without you”I believe that those words in themselves will echo how every single one of you in this chapel are feeling today.This unconventional, brave, sexy, beguiling and truly precious lady has left a legacy in her shadow that is incomparable, and a void that will be impossible to heal. Her caring, kind-hearted nature, and her beautiful soul will outlive all of us, for it is an eternal gift that only those who knew and loved her are blessed to behold.Today we simply wish her a loving farewell as she journey’s on, because we know that somewhere, someday, in another dimension, time will once more bring us back together. Until then, the legacy of memory that she has gifted you all must suffice. Celebrate her life. Celebrate who she was because she would be going doolally at anyone sat here with their head bowed low! Let the memories you share continue to make you laugh and smile. That is what Nicki wanted. And that is a wish we shall honour.