Nathan met me in Purley, where he was working as an apprentice bricklayer for JP Hines and I was working as an apprentice hairdresser in the shop next door. Nathan was studying, a City in Guilds in Bricklaying at West Norwood College and went on to become a skilled and well respected bricklayer, working in and around the local area. He was sacked several times for being late for work and we always had to have two alarms set over the years.

Geoff Hinds was a good friend to Nathan and they met at work. Nathan looked up to Geoff and they formed a friendship where they become more like brothers. Nathan spent lots of time with Geoff his wife Nina and children Damien and Charmaine. Nathan enjoyed many a Sunday roast cooked by Nina. After meeting me, Geoff and Nina extended their friendship and love with open arms. A fond memory is of Nina washing and drying all the nappies and baby clothes in fairy flakes washing powder ready for the arrival of baby Sean. A lovely thing to do as we didn't have a washing machine, just an old spin dryer. The support they gave was much appreciated and the positivity they gave as a young couple themselves helped us through enormously. A role model to us both.

We met on May 1st 1981, Nathan was 19 and Terri 16.  On a lunch break Nathan saw me walking to buy a sandwich and called out from the builders yard. At first sight I was not keen on "being taken out" which actually turned out to be a regular drive in his car (a brown Ford Escort with a beige roof). Nathan asked me for my address and I gave the correct road but wrong door number. Nathan knocked on every house until he found me and I was so sorry that I'd given him the run around.  After realising that Nathan was serious about wanting to date, I very soon could see that Nathan was the one, the only one. My first, my last, my everything

What I loved about my boyfriend was that he was a real gentleman, handsome with the biggest smile and was always laughing and making fun of me He was polite, positive, and the most easy going person. He never had a bad word to say about anyone and everyone who met him, instantly liked him and he was always described as a really lovely guy. He was always so clean, freshly showered, nicely dressed and always smelt gorgeous, mostly of Nivea, not like most of the lads of my age who were shower shy.

Mixed relationships were sadly not so common in 1981 and we met a fair amount of disapproval of our relationship. Our love was strong and we stood with our heads held up high. We proved to those who thought we'd not last, wrong. We were young and very much in love and that conquered everything.

Nathan's friends who he hung around with back then were those he'd met in school, they were Phillip Brown and Oliver Bennet. Many a cards or dominoes night, a kick around, along with going to dances or clubs, Nathan enjoyed with his friends.