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13 January 2022 9:05 AM

Attitude 101 trailblazer ‘feeling blessed’ after adorable email from grandparents

"We want you to know that you are still our grandson and we love you just the same."

By Alastair James

Words: Alastair James; pictures: Simon Crowther

If we were handing out the award for the sweetest, loveliest email ever, we’ve got the winner right here.

Simon Crowther, an engineer, and flooding specialist, who was featured in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics category in Attitude 101 in December has tweeted a screenshot of an email he received from his grandparents who had heard about a recent article on him in the local press, following 101.

And it’s just SO heartwarming!

“You are still the same Simon to us”

Tweeting the screenshot on Wednesday (12 January) Simon said: “My 89-year-old grandparents win the award for most adorable email ever. Feeling blessed”

In the email, Simon’s grandparents – Jill and Bill (love it!) – reveal that they found out at the same time that Simon had “come out” as gay.

The email reads: “Hello Simon, We learned from John R when he came round with Grandpa’s birthday present, that there was an excellent article recently, about you and how you built your business, in a Nottingham Evening Post Magazine.

“Apparently, you reported that you had “Come Out” as being gay to your family when you were 21. Obviously, it was decided to keep it from us for if it upset us. Don’t worry, we are not upset.”


And the email gets better as Jill continues: “In fact, I had already worked it out for myself (Gran), but Grandpa didn’t know Don’t worry. You are still the same Simon to us this news alters nothing. We want you to know that you are still our grandson and we love you just the same.

“We have not mentioned this to Mum or Jenny, so this message will be as big a surprise to them when you tell them, as it will be to you. I am so glad we now know. Enjoy your life.

“You are making a pretty good job of it up to now. And…..we would still love to see the article mentioned above. Can you e-mail it to us? With all our love and support,

“Gran and Grandpa.”

We just can’t get over how lovely it is!

Speaking to Attitude for the February Issue – out now to download and to order globally – following his turn in 101, Simon says flooding in Nottinghamshire in 2007 forced his family out of their home for nine months and led to a six-figure insurance claim. 

It also, he says, “kick-started” his interest in flooding, which led him to set up Flood Protection Solutions Ltd in 2012, while at university and he now works on raising awareness of and reducing flood risk.

Read the full interview in the Attitude February issue, out now. 

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