Margaret, better known to many of you as Maggie, or Mel, was born Margaret Elizabeth Lievesley to Iris and Sydney Herbert in Grange Park, Enfield in 1943. She had an elder sister, Patricia. Having been born during the war, her first memories were of taking cover under a makeshift shelter in the family dining room when the air raid sirens sounded. However, she had a very happy childhood. Margaret’s mother had four sisters, and as a result Patricia and Margaret had a number of cousins with whom they spent many happy summers and Christmases. At school, in Enfield, Margaret discovered a love of, and talent for, foreign languages, which she carried through to university at Reading, where she studied French and German literature, and made several friends that she would keep her whole life. In Strasbourg, during her year abroad, she perfected her French and developed a love of French culture which would be an important part of her life. After university, Margaret went into an office job, organising international exchange programmes for school children. One evening, a friend and teacher of English as a foreign language asked Margaret to cover some of her classes while she was away on holiday. Margaret, having sworn never to go into teaching, was surprised and pleased to find out that she actually enjoyed it, and decided to give it a go on a more permanent basis. For the next 35 years Margaret was an inspiring secondary school French and German teacher. She was passionate about her subject and truly made languages come alive for her students. was a caring and inspiring teacher who always made her subjects . Her colleagues … Margaret married Peter Warne in 1978, and although they eventually divorced, the marriage gave Margaret her two most precious possessions and her proudest achievements -her children. Catherine was born in 1979 and Timothy in 1983. She loving, devoted mum, who managed to perfectly balance teaching career with motherhood, as well as fighting for the causes she cared about. Some of my earliest memories of my mother were of her using her typewriter to fight for the causes cared about. She was a passionate believer in using the power of the written word to bring about change and was involved in a range of campaign issues over the years, from the local to the international. Her friend, Phylis Coard, For many years she was a key member of the Phyllis Coard Support Group. My mother’s ability to balance motherhood with a teaching career, as well her involvement in various other activities and causes she believed in, such as the Phylis Coard Support Group and the Liberal Democrats always astounded me and I was constantly inspired by her energy and zest for life. After retiring, Margaret was finally able to dedicate herself more fully to two of her biggest hobbies, gardening and walking. But sadly, a few years later, in 2009, she was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. From that day onwards she resolved to fight the illness as long as she could, and for the remainder of her life she never gave up her passion for life, or her ability to enjoy the moment. Since she passed away on 12th August Tim and I have received phone calls, letters and cards from so many people, all reminding us how loved our mum was and it is a great comfort to know how her warmth, generosity, sense of humour and kindness will remembered by so many.