My first memory of meeting Diane must have been in early 1997. I was standing at the top of an indoor scaffold tower doing something to the ceiling of our new(ish) offices in Mill Lane, Carshalton, when there was a knock at the door. Valentine (Barios-Ambroa) answered the door. “There’s someone here who wants to do something to get the Environmental Fair going again !!!”.

We’d not run the fair in 1996 and were looking for someone with the common sense and ability to help get it started again – we needed an injection of energy. Someone who could get people organised, bring people together and carry out lots of the organisation and planning. In walked Diane.

After a brief chat she said, “tell you what, if I can take away the key papers and details, and have a read through and a bit of a think, I’ll let you know if I can do it”. Within a few days she had it all mapped out. If we would help, she’d do the organising. It was a great moment. The Fair ran again in 1997 and has run every year since. If it hadn’t been for Diane, the last fair may well have been in 1995!

Over the following years we all got know each other’s respective families. I started taking Guy to kick boxing club at Wallington Public Halls and bumped into Diane who was there with Adam and Lisa. It was great that us “peace loving environmentalists” were cool with the idea of the kids going to a club where they could learn to ‘kick shit’ out of each other. Diane’s approach to the kids seemed relaxed and easy going – which was refreshing.

My own personal reflection of knowing your family is that it has always been obvious how strong a unit you all are. You all seem to have a special bond, which is really nice. I like to think that my family is the same. I know that Diane felt a great love for you all and felt very proud of the family that she and Chris had made together. She would have wanted you all to go on and live life to the full.

You are all in our thoughts

With love and kind regards from us all

Trevor