Sarah in mere words? She was AMAZING. She could capture with a withering look what everybody else at the table was thinking; was fearless and passionate in defending the rights of children through the support she and ADCS gave to the leaders whose daily work was to keep them safe, support, nurture and educate them. She encouraged us to face whatever came at us with grace, humour, and an edge of cynicism about the shenanigans we all dealt with. She had the wickedest sense of the ridiculous. When I was Prez, SHE was the one who said "would a young person help you do your inaugural speech?" SHE was the one who said "yes! let's have a poet in residence at the conference, bring Lemn!" When we worked together responding to the horror of Baby Peter Connolly's death and all that followed, she was the one with the steadying hand, the horizon scanning mind and eye. She dealt with the rolling round of Presidents year on year with immense professionalism and a steely determination to make sure we understood it wasn't about us, but the ADCS and its members. Beyond doubt, her amazing work in supporting me as Prez was what led me to believe I could be Children's Commissioner. My boss had told me and I'd laughed. But I believed Sarah. When I heard of her diagnosis I sent her a text that started with a volley of swearing about fate and unfairness and she came right back with a "Sarah" of more, before she told me she intended to burn every candle at all ends until the last. Gone far too soon, so very cruelly and far too quickly. To quote a North West well worn phrase: "I loved the bones of her." Burn bright Sarah, new star.
Sarah in mere words? She was AMAZING. She could capture with a withering look what everybody else at the table was thinking; was fearless and passionate in defending the rights of children through the support she and ADCS gave to the leaders whose daily work was to keep them safe, support, nurture and educate them. She encouraged us to face whatever came at us with grace, humour, and an edge of cynicism about the shenanigans we all dealt with. She had the wickedest sense of the ridiculous. When I was Prez, SHE was the one who said "would a young person help you do your inaugural speech?" SHE was the one who said "yes! let's have a poet in residence at the conference, bring Lemn!" When we worked together responding to the horror of Baby Peter Connolly's death and all that followed, she was the one with the steadying hand, the horizon scanning mind and eye. She dealt with the rolling round of Presidents year on year with immense professionalism and a steely determination to make sure we understood it wasn't about us, but the ADCS and its members. Beyond doubt, her amazing work in supporting me as Prez was what led me to believe I could be Children's Commissioner. My boss had told me and I'd laughed. But I believed Sarah. When I heard of her diagnosis I sent her a text that started with a volley of swearing about fate and unfairness and she came right back with a "Sarah" of more, before she told me she intended to burn every candle at all ends until the last. Gone far too soon, so very cruelly and far too quickly. To quote a North West well worn phrase: "I loved the bones of her." Burn bright Sarah, new star.