I met Paul when I was 15 years old and on a camp he was running for disabled teenagers. He was the cool para 10 years older than the rest of us, and he made quite an impression! He'd also organised a camp which was practical, fun and provided a doorway into a whole new world - he got us driving adapted cars. For me it's no small assertion to say it was life-changing. I got my first car when I was 18, and again Paul was involved, pulling some strings so I could jump the queue when (strange though it may seem) there was a shortage of new cars in the country. He always had contacts! There have been other connections over the last several decades. They've always involved a warm hello and his trademark banter. Thank you Paul. You meant a lot to many of us. You might be gone but you are not forgotten.

My connection to Paul was as a child who was supported by Palmerston North CCS. He was such a kind gentle man. He really made a difference in our community. Thank you Paul for all you did.

We were put in touch with Paul by Fiona McTavish. We will be forever grateful for the sage advice he gave us when we were fighting with ACC. His support and helpful information made a difference . Very sad to read of his passing. Margaret and Tutekawa Wyllie

I worked with Paul in the Department of Internal Affairs from 1998 to 2003, when he was General Manager of the Community Development branch. My dominant memory of Paul was of his enthusiastic commitment to the work and teams he led and his tireless advocacy for the positive contribution that thoughtful government funding could make to effective community development. My role was to help make strategic sense of the Department's many and wide-ranging functions. That involved many conversations with senior leaders, including Paul. My conversations with Paul were always instructive and inspiring. He had a very clear sense that communities knew their own problems - and their solutions - better than government. What they needed were the resources they lacked and the trust to make best use of them. Paul was well connected up and down the country and loved nothing better than spending time on the ground where communities happen. He didn't let his disability get in the way of his mobility. He was cheerful and optimistic, despite the discomfort and inconvenience that must have been his daily experience. I admired Paul for his courage and the way he turned his personal ordeal into a gift of great value for ordinary New Zealanders wanting to improve their own lives and their communities. I count myself fortunate to have met him and to have been inspired by his example. May he rest in peace and those who mourn him be comforted.