As palliative care services manager at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough, I stood in awe of the talent of Ian Clarke as he found a way to fit a new 20-bed hospice into a Grade I listed site. His instinctive passion for doing the best for our patients was matched by his humour and patience. Ian leaves a wonderful legacy of places of safety and comfort that stand testament to his imagination and beliefs.