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TRIBUTES PAID TO ' GENTLE GIANT ' IAN ' NIDDY ' SMITH
Tributes have been paid to a well-known local gentleman who was well respected and loved across Merseyside .
On January 18th , Ian Smith , 55 , unfortunately lost his life suddenly , leaving a large emotional void in the lives of many people .
Originally born in Liverpool , Ian moved to Wirral at the age of 27 and soon became a recognised and highly regarded personality across the borough through his passion for martial arts and his involvement with charitable organisations .
In addition to his work as a painter and decorator , Ian also worked for Unity Supported Housing for the last couple of years , providing both support work to vulnerable adults and families as well as his hands-on role in the Repair & Maintenance Team .
Steve Taylor-Smith , MD of Unity Supported Housing said : " When the awful news broke about Ian ’ s death , the whole staff team was devastated and in a state of absolute shock . Ian was a huge part of our group and he was well loved and appreciated for his beautiful personality , his kindheartedness , his loyalty , and his infectious laugh . The company , as well as our personal lives , will never be the same now he ’ s not here ."
One of Ian ’ s work colleagues at Unity Supported Housing , Melanie Pearson , had the following to say : " I only knew Ian for a small amount of time compared to some others , however he has definitely left a footprint on my life . I hope his 2 daughters and those closest to him find comfort from the precious memories they hold in their minds and hearts of the true gentleman Ian was ."
Outside of his paid employment , Ian had started developing a not-forprofit organisation which he devoted to the memory of his mum who had previously passed away .
Created to provide much needed support and guidance to local people who are experiencing difficulties in their lives , particularly mental ill-health , Building Belief worked in partnership with various other charitable organisations . Through this , Ian was able to engage the hearts and minds of many people who were often feeling mentally and emotionally frail due to their personal challenges .
One such partner organisation was Neo Community who provide a wide range of charitable services to people across the Borough . Ema Wilkes , Founder of the organisation , said : " The excitement he had when he registered Building Belief was infectious and I was so excited to sit in the kitchen and design his logo with him . The positive texts and quotes he sent out every day made so many people smile , and he was so proud of helping people feel more positively about their lives . Ian had been designing a DIY course with us and was so determined to ensure we and our community could all do the basics and help people , especially parents , to have the confidence and knowledge to be able to make a house a home . We will make sure this still happens in Ian ’ s memory and will do our best to look on the bright side of life every day and learn from the many lessons he taught us all . We all know how important his family was and every day would include stories of his 2 girls . Our heartfelt sympathy is with his family . We should all take something from him as his legacy to love more , tolerate more and believe in ourselves more !"
Such was his compassion for people in need , Ian also undertook a visiting support role at The Martin Gallier Project in New Ferry which is dedicated to preventing suicide , breaking down stigma and supporting families .
Chief Executive , Jess Gallier , said : " A gentleman recently told me that his whole universe opened up when he met Ian . The support , encouragement , positivity , and love he had given him and other members of Martin ’ s Man Cave had been life-changing ; in fact , life saving for so many . We all feel incredibly grateful to have had Ian in our lives , his infectious positivity helped each of us in ways that he will never know . The team here will strive to continue his inspirational work and we will carry him in our hearts , always ."
Andy Pritchard , who was a close friend of Ian for over 20 years , said : " One of the good ones , Ian " Niddy " Smith was a true gent with a big heart and a big smile to match . A genuine soul , he always had time to listen to anyone . Taken far too soon , god bless big man ."
It is clear that Ian was a much adored and highly respected ‘ gentle giant ’ who has left an indelible impression on the live of so many people . He will never be forgotten .
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