My memories of Clare go back almost 60 years. Pauline used to cut my mum’s hair and I remember going to their house on Digswell Park Road and being terrified of the dog, Mindy. She was huge, we were eye to eye, but she was only a Jack Russell, so maybe it was that I was small. I remember her at ballet classes in Digswell Methodist Church Hall in Warren Way. I pushed in front of her and made her cry, had to go and sit on the step. Then there was the Christmas play at Nursery School. She was Mary to Paul Sutton’s Joseph, I was the Angel Gabriel.  We were never great friends at this time, but she was around and made a big enough impression. Clare and I then went to different schools until we met up again at Monk’s Walk where we quickly became friends. I only have a couple of memories from this time. For some reason, despite being hopeless at French, Clare and I were put in a German class too. We spent every single lesson chatting about her love life. Then in the 6th Form Clare drove Julie, Rachel and me down to Rhossili in Wales in her little orange mini with blocks on the pedals so she could reach. We had a great week at Rachel’s cottage with Tim, Josh and Dave. They were in Dave’s blue mini. We couldn’t have taken much luggage! We have always kept in touch and Clare is my eldest daughter’s Godmother (Meredith). She has always been really good to my girls, taking them out and having them for the weekend and she has always offered me a room when I have been visiting from New Zealand. I just thank my lucky stars that I was over in September and spent a wonderful few days with her in Towcester. She was always kind, considerate and happy to see me, she will be so missed xxxx