Dear Ralph & Susan, 

Sorry that this has taken me a little time to send. It has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to write but I hope does Sarah the credit she so richly deserves. 

I met Sarah in the Sixth Form Centre at Kelly. I was wrought with fear, stood in a new scratchy uniform hating my life when Sarah was introduced. Straightaway she put me at ease, gently mocking all the strange traditions of Independent School that were so alien to me and I immediately recognised an ally in her. 

My ally turned into my very best friend and we spent the next four years having fun, pushing boundaries (sorry about all that) and alternating between hating school and the teachers, to loving the place that became a second home to us.

We grew up into actual people together. If it was warm and sunny we’d while away the time lying on the grass, sunbathing, talking about life, which one of us would marry Axl Rose, what we’d do and how we’d always do it together. We always vowed we’d end up in the same nursing home when we were older, making mischief and breaking rules to the end. 

Life took us on very different paths but there was always an unbreakable tie between us that neither distance nor time could break. Sarah had such a good heart, she always knew she wanted to help people and travel and see the world. I was and remain extremely proud of all she achieved in her life, of all she saw and of all the wonderful places she visited. 

Sarah was wonderful with my children, always on her knees being involved with whatever games they were playing, reading them stories and giving them plenty of cuddles. Sarah bought the girls a toy doctor case which passed through all of them. It felt like entire days were lost to being examined by the girls with the stethoscope, ears being checked and injections administered, all of which Sarah had carefully shown them how to do. Arabella, out youngest, still sleeps with the teddy bear Sarah bought her for a birthday. 

They were always over excited when Sarah came to stay, fighting for her attention and eager to drag her off and play. She was never too busy, too distracted or too tired to give them all her attention and they loved her for it. 

Sarah spent most of the time with Raphey, her goddaughter. From the moment she first came to visit after Raphey was born, she whisked her onto her lap and they pretty much spent every visit like that for the next few years. Raphey was extremely grateful for all the advice Sarah offered her with her UCAS application. Despite being crazy busy with her own work commitments Sarah read through her personal statement and her enthusiasm reassured a very anxious Raphey that it was good enough and shat she should believe in herself more. Sarah was always trying to make us believe in ourselves more and her steadfast belief in me certainly saw me through some very dark times. 

Sarah was a once in a lifetime friend. Someone who always had my back, relentlessly fought my corner and showed my children the same fierce devotion and I will miss her every day. She stood by my side in every important moment in my life and held me together in every difficult part. Words can never do justice to how fortunate I feel for having had her in my life. When I think of Sarah it will always be with her face turned up to the sun. 

Sending love. 

Tabs.