One of the first things I remember Lesley saying to me when I first met her, was the simplest of phrases …. ‘you can do that’ it became my mantra in life; Lesley, you were an inspiration to me and to so many of us here.

If there were things you felt important you had a way of driving ideas forward. Along the way, those of us around you would pick up your enthusiasm like an infection, then we’d gain confidence in the idea as if it were our own. Everything you suggested always made sound sense. You were decisive and competent, traits which evoked inspiration in those of us lucky enough to have you in our lives.

Having had two boys of the same age, you and I talked often about what we hoped for our children. You told me about the sacrifices your mum had made to give you the best possible start in life. With that experience and support behind you, yourself and Graham have indeed raised two very special people in Jeremy and Edward. You have ensured that they’ve grown to become these two fine teenagers here. You were fit to burst with pride in their achievements and interests. With the foundation of love and care that you, Graham, Norah have given them, they will ultimately develop into great young men.

In the last weeks of your illness, you were very clear that this, your major role in life had been fulfilled. We as friends and family need now to help them to adapt to the tragedy of losing you far too soon. A tough challenge indeed, but they will grow strong enough to manage it.

In your final weeks and days, you acknowledged that you had no regrets; you had no wish to do anything you hadn’t already done, nor live any other way than in the way you had lived. One of the last things you said…. over and over was
“it’s sorted,…. all sorted,…. everything’s sorted”
You told those close to you “I’ve no worries, I’m not scared.”

You died as you had lived with great love around you; your only wish was to see your boys into university and adulthood. You know that we who must now live without you, will do what we can to ensure your “list” is complied with. I can imagine that the majority of us here today have at one time or another been the recipient of one of Lesley’s lists!!!!!

You taught each of us to find our own clarity and to make decisions with self- assuredness, plus the odd strong hint if you thought we were misguided. We know with conviction, that whatever path each of us choose from this point on; whichever item we tick off the metaphorical list you left us, or things we do not have the courage or the will to get round to, you would accept and understand us unconditionally in our choices.

Your generosity of spirit was so abundant that you had more than enough to spare so that you could be to us the most fabulous mother, daughter, wife and friend that anyone could have.

You were my friend and my mentor and without you, I for one would have lived a very different life.

Whatever any of us did or didn’t say to, or do for Lesley in her final years, months and days; nobody here must have one second of regret. She showed us so clearly that she’d done what she needed to do in this life; which means that each and every one of us played a part in that.

We, like her, need regret nothing other that the fact that we have to endure a life without her.
But I can imagine her voice suddenly getting strong again in my head. To use Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s words:
“Dear friends, do not look sad, for what can be happier than a life completed with honour, and made beautiful with friendship and love.”

But my dear Lesley, “Grief is the price we pay for love”, so we will just have to endure it; and we will.

Now we’ll listen to a traditional hymn that Lesley herself suggested for this day (yes it was on her list). In it we hear of gentleness, bravery, hope, and of at last being set free.

The hymn
When a knight won his spurs in the stories of old
He was gentle and brave he was gallant and bold
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand
For God and for valour he rode through the land

No charger have I and no sword by my side
Yet still to adventure and battle I ride
Though back into storyland giants have fled
And the knights are no more and the dragons are dead

So let faith be my shield and let hope be my steed
Against the dragons of anger the ogres of greed
And let me set free with the sword of my youth
From the castle of darkness the power of the truth

Traditional

I only worked with Lesley on one project and for only a matter of weeks about three years ago. She took my paltry ideas and turned them into magic and communicated them with a clarity that I could never have achieved. I once interviewed her for a job and I have never interviewed anyone who answered with such clarity and directness. I knew she was special from the start only now have I been able to get close to understanding what it was. I think she was probably one of the the most sincere and genuine people I have ever met, I am not surprised she touched so many people, she was a natural counsellor.

Thank you for the most uplifting service on Wednesday, Lesley has inspired me to make something of my own life, what a brave and beautiful girl she was, it must be very hard for you to have to share her with us all. I so much enjoyed meeting Bernadette at the Golf Club, we worked together in Bexley many years ago, I’m sure she will be a tremendous support to you all. Jeremy, we loved having you on work experience last year, if Prospects can do anything further to assist you in your career you know you only have to ask. You must be very proud of Lesley, we all are and we will miss her so much but remember her often and with love.

I will always remember Lesley as a happy, smiling person. I never once saw her down or unhappy. She has always been there for me offering me advice and support when i needed it! We’ll miss you Lesley!!!

It was a joy and a blessing to have known Lesley. We met all those years ago at Tower Hamlets Careers Service and then over the years are paths kept crossing and it always felt as if we had never been apart when we did meet up. And then I got a job at Prospects and who was there, of course Lesley with that infectious smile!!! We just picked up from where we had left off, it was just lovely. I will always remember her as the kindest, most caring person I ever knew, always so cheerful and positive. Gone but certainly never to be forgotten.

It’s many years since I’ve seen Lesley & Graham but I have very fond memories of Venture Scout days when I first met Lui & all the parties we seemed to go to! My mum used to call us ‘rent-a-crowd’.

I feel so much for Graham and the boys – as a mum of 3 sons myself, I can’t begin to imagine what sadness they are going through.
Lesley – I hope there’ll be another big party when we all meet up again. God bless.

It seems like I’ve known Lesley for ever although it’s only a couple of decades. We have worked together for so long and relied on each other; it was work, but it was fun! As for other colleagues and friends, she was there for me in the bad times as well as the good. I will remember best her supremely practical intelligence, creativity and intuition and her gift for motivating people, making them believe in their own abilities and the worth of what they were doing. Lesley was an inspiration to me, and to everyone who worked with her, an example to us all. She leaves an immense legacy; no-one who knew her will ever forget her.

At times like these it is hard to find the right words to express our feelings.”Thank you” seems so inadequate. But Lesley- Thank you for over twenty years of friendship,Thank you for all the encouraging words and deeds – both at work and in personal life, Thank you for support in both bad times and good But most of all thank you for the fun and laughter.
Lesley once gave me a lovely compliment that I was a bit hesitant about accepting-In response she said to me -you are like me ,you keep thinking that someone is going to find you out- well Lesley we did find you out -you were one of the best and we won’t forget you.

I first met Lesley about 32 years ago and even at that young age she was a confident young lady. She was working in the off-licence opposite Clapham Common Tube Station when I marched in with my Venture Scout friends. From then on started a friendship that was to last a long time.

The many joint family holidays with Lesley, Graham, Jeremy and Edward, a major highlight. Most of the time we were planning the next but one holiday before the one but last was over. That was Lesley, a great planner and motivator. Always full of bright ideas and a forward thinker.

I shall miss our chats putting the world to rights, but we have many many fond memories of the times we all had together.

As Gill has said below, Lesley was a rock for us 10 years ago and was the first person on the scene to support my family at our time of need when tragedy struck.

In Jeremy and Edward, Lesley and Graham have two terrific sons whom I feel sure are proud in the knowledge that their mother touched so many people. The world is a better place for her time here.

Lesley, I hope you can arrange for ice and lemon with that G & T because if we do all meet again, I can’t drink it without!

Lesley was such a wonderful and generous hostess when we visited last year, all the way from Vancouver, WA, USA. The year before she and her family visited here and we enjoyed a fun outing on our sail boat. The entire Anderson family became a part of our family.