Our friend and neighbour William La Pêche died suddenly on 24 November 2009.

Bill, as he was known to his many friends, had lived in the village for the last six years with his wife, Jill. Born in Leek, Staffordshire in February 1949, Bill and Jill had found their dream project in a finca in Yunquera, where they produced quality olive oil from their 600 trees, and grew oranges, lemons, almonds, avocados and other produce.

A short ceremony was held at the cemetery in Montejaque on the day after Bill’s passing and his body was inserted into a niche donated by the local council. Among the mourners were local Spanish neighbours, as well as friends from five other countries.

And now, one month on and thanks to the kind donations of Bill’s many friends, his widow Jill was able to organise a lápida, or headstone, for the niche.

This was put in place just before Christmas and as Bill looks out from his resting place southwards over the village, it is a fitting memorial to a man who enriched the lives of so many in our quiet village.