Name: Kerstin Fletcher

From: Ipswich 

How long have you been collecting? Since the mid-1970's

How many pins do you own? Thousands... not counted!

I have many cherished pins that I have hotly traded for, long chased after, or that were given to me by dear friends. But oddly enough, the pin in my collection with the greatest amount of sentimental meaning attached to it is actually a shop-bought pin I only acquired a few weeks ago.

It is the London 2012 souvenir pin of the Upper Case Alphabet series, letter "K". That happens to be my own initial; however it is also the initial of Ken, my partner's brother, who very suddenly and heartbreakingly passed away last year.

Ken was one of the most special people I ever knew: a surgeon at Newcastle Hospital, who saved and improved the lives of countless people; a cheerful and thoughtful friend who'd go out of his way to help; and a much loved family man. He was much into sport, especially football, and one of my final memories of him is of us enjoying a game of football together at St. James's Park in Newcastle (which is of course one of the Olympic venues).

Now when we go to see some Olympic football later this year, no doubt something he too would have liked, I shall be wearing my "K" badge on the day in memory of Ken.