Like most half-decent writers worth tuppence of salt, I pepper my life with enormous swings of a manic depressive tendency. Harnessing the highs, hanging on for dear life – sometimes literally – to the sweat-laden reins of random panic during the lows.

You’ll probably have to read that more than once if you haven’t experienced mental health trubbles yourself. If you have, then ‘low four’ should ring the bell.

Ben – we wouldn’t be here without you, or Tom, and the stalwart die-hards among us aren’t going anywhere without you either.

Take brilliant care of yourself. You deserve it. You’re an excellent writer, a great orator – well-suited to law – and we won’t let you disappear from PCN.

It’s a great shame that we will be losing him as a director of PCN although not of course as a friend and respected writer.

As someone who has also struggled with mental health problems, an anxiety disorder in my case, I can relate to Ben’s struggle and wish him the strength, fortitude and good doctors/helpers to get him through this to a better place.

So THANKS Ben for getting us all this far.

And best of luck.