Annabel's Candlelight Fund

My daughter Annabel - by Nina

My darling daughter Annabel died suddenly on May 9th 2022 having had COVID and our world changed forever. She was my greatest ally and kept me young and constantly challenged. Her 'why' questions started young and continued throughout her short life. Every Christmas she donated generously to her special charities for refugees and the homeless. However she also thoroughly enjoyed life and loved bubbly. She spoke 5 languages and worked for a UN agency absolutely refusing to admit it was anything special. She was also a great justice warrior and helped out with my CAFOD volunteering and was better at fundraising than me when selling my marmalade outside church.

It is so easy for a funeral service to be gloomy and depressing. But Annabel’s wasn't. It took place on a very hot day in June. Her coffin remained in church whilst people gathered in the hall for refreshments. Some brought their drinks and nibbles in to gather around Annabel. Someone put their cuppa on the coffin amidst the sunflowers. Sarah, Annabel's early babysitter and lifelong friend had made a posy of flowers using pages from ‘Hairy McLary from Donaldsons Dairy’, which she used to read to Annabel. Later we all walked to the cemetery nearby where the burial took place.

We have survived. Somehow we've come through it and achieved a kind of acceptance and peace; being an advocate of CAFOD has helped enormously . The Candlelight fund run by Maggie has shed warmth and light on it. So many mothers in poorer countries lose many children to conflict, hunger and disease. Thank God for organisations like CAFOD who are attempting to right this wrong. And through Annabel’s Candlelight Fund, we want to be part of this change, in her memory.

I can now feel gratitude for Annabel’s 39 years with me and how the world benefitted from her presence. And now on that solemn feast of All Souls in November when the weather's dark and cold and generally wet I remind myself that she is there with them. I suspect she's brightened it up no end. She's humanised heaven for me.

My friend Annabel - by Claire

When Annabel passed away in 2022, we lost a caring, funny, vivacious character who spread happiness to all that she met. She had the ability to walk into a room and talk to anyone about anything - it was as though another light went on when she arrived. No one left without knowing who she was. She lived for joy and laughter for herself and everyone she met in equal measure – from her mass of blonde hair and beaming smile - the positive and uplifting impact she made on any social event was enormous – whether it was playing hostess and “rustling up a few nibbles” to having a crowd roaring with laughter.

Annabel, a gifted linguist, had an amazing singing voice and a brilliant sense of humour. Her proudest achievement was not her many qualifications and language exams, but gaining 100% on her champagne tasting certificate which summed her up really – bubbly and always celebrating life.

Annabel would be delighted to have a Candlelight Fund in her memory. As friends and family, we are creating a loving and lasting tribute to her, knowing that in her name we are helping to create a better world and continuing her passion for justice.