Popular biology teacher Bob Sheridan had years of his nature notes from the village where he taught for four decades turned into a book by his close friend, Tracey Dene Powell.

It was one afternoon in 2020, local woman Tracey Dene Powell promised her special friend, and much loved Langham schoolteacher, Bob Sheridan that she would adapt his beautiful nature notes into a book. So when Bob passed away on the 14th of December, that is precisely what she proceeded to do.

Bob Sheridan had dedicated his career to being a biology teacher at John Ferneley School. During retirement he then used his vast knowledge writing nature notes for the Langham News Magazine, Nature Notes, a detailed archive of the natural history of Langham.

Bob suffered a cardiac arrest in November 2020 and whilst in hospital was allowed to have Tracey visit a few times, despite strict restrictions of no visitors being in place due to Covid. It was at one of these visits that he asked for Tracey to take her guitar so she could sing to him his favourite song `fantasy box'. Tracey remembers with a smile when Bob had said he'd wanted to be her Manager. I told him "I'm 56 Bob, not 26, I'm too old to make it now!"

Singer song-writer Tracey promised Bob on his death-bed that she would publish the beautiful notes to raise funds for the air ambulance crews who treated him after he had a heart attack.

Tracey told Oakham Nub News: "Bob was given precious days after his cardiac arrest due to the amazing service given by the Rutland and Leicestershire Air Ambulance getting him to hospital for a vital operation.

"Bob just wanted to say thank you."

Copies of Bob's book, titled 'Notes from a Field and a Garden', were collected from the printers in August 2021. When it was first released, Tracey decided to give free copies to every child at Langham School to help continue Bob's legacy of inspiration and enthusiasm.

On Thursday the 3rd of March, she handed £360 over to Rutland and Leicestershire Air Ambulance in Bob's memory.

In this, Bob's legacy lives on, as it does in the wonderful memories that those close to him have shared.

A fellow teacher at John Ferneley recounted Bob's wisdom: "One of my classes I'll still admit to being unteachable. Not a phrase I have ever used again. I was exasperated at having to teach them the science curriculum when many could barely read or write. In Bob's wisdom, he suggested we renovate the old and tumbling down greenhouse. He said that if the students helped to renovate it, this would give them ownership and they, in turn, would protect it from being vandalized by others.

"He showed me how to teach them to read by having a desire; together Bob and I taught them to read the labels on the seed packets and to learn how to identify plants using keys. This project was extended to weekly visits to Melton Country Park. I'll never forget the disappointment of one boy who was unwell but insisted on coming to school because he didn't want to miss out. He had previously been a staunch truanter."

Ex-student of Bob, Lynne Jeffery, said: "Always remember him as a lovely teacher, I too loved biology because of Mr Sheridan. RIP."

Tracey added: "Bob had a fantastic sense of humour. He used to write all these funny stories. He was a clever writer and poet. He was very talented. Sometimes, we meet some very special souls in life, and Bob was certainly a very special soul. He had such a caring nature and the ability to bring out the best in you… I think that's why he was such a brilliant teacher."

She quoted Bob as saying: "There is no such things as a bad child. All I did was listen. There is always a reason behind their behaviour."

On top of this passion for teaching and helping young people, incredibly, Bob also managed to reunite a 97 year old widow with a collection of letters sent to her during World War II.

Bob had an interest in postal history, particularly how the post used to move around during WW2. He bought a bundle of letters at auction and the ever curious Tracey started reading them. It turned out that they were love letters, which sent Bob and Tracey on another adventure to uncover the owners.

The letters had been sent from a husband serving in the RAF abroad, during World War II, to his wife back in England.

Tracey said to Bob, "These letters are so beautiful. This man must have been so in love with his wife. If I was the granddaughter I would want to see these," and so Bob embarked upon a journey to find the relatives of these two young lovers.

After weeks of research, the letters eventually found their way back to the recipient - a lady who was 97 years old and living in South Africa! Through Bob's skills and Tracey's determination, this widow was reunited with her love letters some 60 years after they had been written.

Tracey smiled: "The angels were working with us."

Bob lived to see these incredible events unfold, passing away almost exactly a year later in December 2020.

Tracey said: "We used to do crazy things; one bizarre thing we did was to write the eulogies for our funerals; it was then we began talking about his legacy. We agreed that placing a bench in the Langham woodland would be nice, as well as planting trees in his memory – today, I have carried out his wishes; there is now a bench in the woodland, his book has been printed, and 300 trees have been planted on private land. I have fulfilled my promise, I think he would be smiling."

Indeed having kept her promise, Tracey has continued donating money to Rutland and Leicestershire Air Ambulance and has been sharing Bob's work in his book, 'Notes from a Field and Garden'.

The book is on sale for only £5 from the Whissendine shop, and all proceeds will continue to go to the wonderful Rutland and Leicester Air Ambulance in support of the tireless work that they put in saving lives.

Tracey concluded: "This book is all Bob's work, all his own creation…he was the special one, not me.

"Meeting Bob has changed me forever and I will be forever grateful that our paths crossed.

"Bob always said, that 'there is no such thing as a coincidence, only a significance.' I believe this to be true and it brings me a lot of comfort, as I hope it does everyone who knew him."