First, let me speak about Elin and what she said. Language is the heart of the nation. Now, let me speak about Professor Robert Owen.

Bob Owen was a farmer’s son, born in Chwilog in the Llŷn peninsula in north Wales in 1921, and would have been 100 this year. He grew up on the family farm. From local primary and grammar schools, he studied medicine at Guy’s Hospital in London, followed by three years in the Royal Air Force.

Following orthopaedic training in Liverpool, in which he was outstanding and that included an ABC fellowship, he was appointed consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, and north Wales hospitals at Rhyl and Abergele. He gave sterling service to these institutions, including the introduction of the Charnley arthroplasty, complete with greenhouse enclosure, to the first centre, Abergele, in the world, outside Wrightington.

Later, he was also a professor of orthopaedic surgery at Liverpool University, and had been a consultant and professor at Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where I worked with him from 1979 to 1983. He was the author and co-author of 140 scientific papers, co-editor of two notable textbooks and a proud member of the Royal College of Surgeons, the British Orthopaedic Association, the British Scoliosis Society and the British Cervical Spine Society.

In Wales, he was a trustee or adviser to several charitable organisations helping disabled or ill children, a deputy lieutenant for Clwyd, and the medical ombudsman for Wales. He was a staunch supporter and past president of the History of Medicine Society of Wales.

He was awarded an OBE for services to medicine in 1990, with his achievements including co-founding the Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey hospital, and helping to establish Robert Owen House, named in his honour, at Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool, to accommodate the relatives of patients.

And, I finish with his quote: 'And so, at the end of the day, Mag'—that was his wife—'and my epitaph, as nurse and doctor, will read:'—and I will say it in English—'our aim was to give comfort to others. So, ends my story.' Thank you very much.