Nick Cater obituary

"My father, Nick Cater, who has died aged 69 shortly after suffering a stroke, lived a life dedicated to journalism both at the Guardian and as a freelance focusing on African humanitarian crises and environmental issues. Nick was the chief media officer for the charity event Sport Aid, held in 1986 and 1988, and wrote at length on Sudanese and Ugandan humanitarian issues in the 1980s and 90s. Nick Cater was the chief media officer for the charity event Sport Aid, held in 1986 and 1988"

"Born in London, and raised in Kent, Nick was the middle of three children born to Joyce (nee Simcox) and Bill Cater. Nick chose journalism and decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, who was an assistant editor at the Sunday Times; his mother was a social worker. After Sevenoaks school, Nick studied social sciences at York University."

"His first independent job was as chief media officer for Sport Aid, led by Bob Geldof. The centrepiece of Sport Aid that year was a worldwide Race Against Time 10km run held in May simultaneously across roughly 80 countries, which drew around 20 million participants and raised 27m for African famine relief. By now Nick had started to travel extensively to Africa to cover humanitarian crises."

Nick Cater died aged 69 shortly after suffering a stroke. He worked at the Guardian and later as a freelance journalist, focusing on African humanitarian crises and environmental issues. He served as chief media officer for Sport Aid in 1986 and 1988. Born in London and raised in Kent, he was the middle of three children of Joyce (nee Simcox) and Bill Cater. He studied social sciences at York University after Sevenoaks school. He began his career at the Newcastle Chronicle and joined the Guardian in 1983. He traveled widely in Africa to cover crises and survived a 1981 ambush in Sudan, during which he was taken across the Nile into Uganda and negotiated his release with 68p and paracetamol.

Read at www.theguardian.com