Colleagues remember Lucy

Lucy’s recent and former colleagues have shared some memories below:

“I knew Lucy for 17 years, meeting her for the first time when the careers service was based in College House and liking her immediately as she was so friendly and warm-hearted. We worked together for many years, staying as friends after she moved departments, and often meeting up to put the world to rights over a cuppa. She was one of the kindest, sweetest and most generous of human beings with a cheeky sense of humour that never ceased to surprise me; and to see her laugh made you want to laugh too, she put her full spirit into it. Though she didn't always have the highest self-confidence, Lucy would courageously go off on her holidays solo, enjoying the sights of countries such as Denmark, Switzerland and Italy. She adored animals, particularly the more unusual ones and would often visit wildlife parks with her partner Andy. Lucy was a brilliant writer and even while she was ill, her messages to me were always filled with sharp wit and smart, funny observations. I will deeply miss her and know from colleagues across the years that she was hugely respected and loved. The world is a sadder place now she has gone.”  Karen Sylvester, Student Development Advisor

“I started working with Lucy in 2021 when she joined me in co-ordinating the Library Champions volunteer scheme. Lucy took immense pride in her work with Library Champions and found great joy in being part of this scheme. She consistently upheld high standards and embraced opportunities for growth and development. Those fortunate enough to have worked alongside her can attest to her unwavering friendliness, enthusiasm, and work ethic. Lucy used her wealth of experience and knowledge gained from her time at the University to swiftly establish a more professional presence for the Library Champions scheme. I’m grateful to Lucy for the encouragement and support she showed me during the time we worked together.

"Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lucy was an exceptional colleague who radiated kindness, generosity, and a positive spirit. Conversations with her flowed effortlessly, and we quickly forged a connection, finding common ground as middle children in our families and sharing a passion for travel. Listening to her travel stories brought me immense joy, and it saddens me to realise I won't have the privilege of hearing all her tales or witnessing the fulfilment of her new plans. Recently, she had expressed her intention to cultivate her gardening skills in memory of her late father—a testament to her deep love and commitment to honouring cherished memories.”  Heena Karavadra, Academic Librarian

“I will remember Lucy as being an extremely kind, hardworking and generous colleague who went out of her way to help others. I worked most closely with her through the Comms group and in organising the Heritage Open Days event last year, which it’s fair to say I couldn’t have done without Lucy’s support, enthusiasm and organisational zeal. Before she became ill, she was looking forward to getting more involved in cataloguing work in Special Collections in order to build on her library qualification.”  Simon Dixon, Head of Archives and Special Collections

“Sadly, I didn't know Lucy very well but she recently helped the Content Services team by assessing some book donations and a range of previously relegated stock. Not surprisingly, she grasped very quickly and with enthusiasm and diligence what we were aiming for. We found that we agreed with many of her recommendations - through which she contributed to our collection development in a very real way. She was very humble about that though and genuinely enjoyed being helpful. Such a sad loss.”  Esther Arens, Head of Resources

“Lucy will be greatly missed by the Academic Librarians team. She was a wonderful, engaging, personable, and considerate person who always had valuable and practical ideas. She was always willing to help and contribute in a positive way. She was an invaluable source of support on many projects, including the Library Champions, the Academic Skills Centre, and the Playful Learning Conferences. She was a lovely, kind person who was a joy to be around.”  Academic Librarians Team

“I worked closely with Lucy on the Library Champions programme and it was obvious how much she contributed to the smooth running and organisation of the scheme. She was my go-to person for all my Microsoft Forms woes and would go out of her way to help me when I encountered difficulties. She was very approachable and if I needed any problem solving - no matter how trivial or obvious the answer - she always explained things so patiently to me. We had fun at the Library Champions Christmas social too – particularly the rather odd quiz game the students got us playing!

"Building on her Library degree background, Lucy was due to start a cataloguing activity in Special Collections which I know she was looking forward to doing and I was really looking forward to teaching her about archives too. I think all who worked with Lucy will remember her as such a kind natured person. She will be very much missed.”  Sarah Wood, Assistant Archivist

“We felt very privileged to have considered Lucy an honorary member of the Library Research Services team, and even though it was only for a few hours a month, she immediately felt part of our team and we have missed her during the past few months. Lucy was a wonderfully sincere, bright and supportive colleague, who helped us so much with our planning for a new open access newsletter, always reminding us of best practice around engagement and advocacy. She was tremendous fun and our deepest and most sincere condolences to her family, loved ones and friends. We really will miss her.”  Research Services Team

“It is a shock losing Lucy and we are sad to think what she and her family went through over the last few months.  Lucy was quick with a compliment and spoke up for what was important to her. Lucy’s passion for travel is one of the first things we discovered and she had an impressive collection of Starbucks mugs as mementos of each trip, which used to chink in her drawer as you walked down the office. The commitment Lucy had to her family always shone through. She was a very enthusiastic and pragmatic person, who would go out of her way to help others. Lucy cared deeply about everything she was involved in; we saw this in how she kept in touch with those she had worked with and the time she spent organising cards and leaving gifts, but also with students and even our pets during lockdown. Lucy really cared.”  Operations Admin Team