By Julie Morgan

MS for Cardiff North

I’ve known Ann for many years and her dedication to causes such equal rights for women and ethnic minorities ran through everything she did and her friendships. One of her notable campaigns was getting women-only swimming sessions at Maindee pool (she was an active supporter of BAME women in particular).

A former Labour councillor in Plasnewydd, I got to know Ann after she moved to Cardiff North where she has been a stalwart supporter during my time representing the constituency. She was for many years a key member of the ‘Tuesday’ group in Cardiff North who did all the bundling of newsletters and campaign literature every week without fail. Ann was very good at keeping the group motivated.

I loved to chat to Ann when she called in to my office in Whitchurch, which she did nearly every Friday. During elections she always ran a ‘committee room’ providing refreshments for weary party members charged with getting out the vote.

She may have been 87 when she died but she was very active until the end of her life. She always stopped to buy a Big Issue in Whitchurch and she was in the process of trying to arrange help to teach young people financial skills. Her mind was very much alive and she was a very modern lady and youthful in her attitudes right to the end of her life.

Friends are in the process of fundraising for a commemorative bench for Ann which we plan to put in the Whitchurch community garden. We hope it’s a place people will stop to sit and chat there – which is very much what Ann would have liked to do.