Maggie Ambrose - A Champion for East Walworth (Southwark Liberal Democrats)

Southwark Liberal Democrats <info@southwark-libdems.org.uk>

Maggie Ambrose - A Champion for East Walworth

December 24, 2003 12:00 AM

Maggie Ambrose, Liberal Democrat Councillor for East Walworth Ward, died in Guy's Hospital on 23rd December 2003, after a year-long battle against bone cancer. She was 54.

Maggie was known throughout the East Walworth ward as a tireless campaigner for the residents of the Heygate Estate and as a passionate community campaigner.

In recent years Maggie had been at the heart of the Elephant regeneration and how it would impact on the people living on the Heygate Estate. Maggie had served as a local councillor since her election in 2002, for seven years as the Chair of the Heygate Tenants' Association, Chair of the Elephant Links Community Forum, as Vice Chair and on the executive of the Southwark Group of Tenants Organisation, as a member of Southwark Arbitration Panel for a number of years, as an executive member of the local Liberal Democrats and as a member of the Rodney Road neighbourhood forum.

Simon Hughes MP for North Southwark & Bermondsey writes;

The death of Maggie Ambrose is a very big loss to the Elephant and Castle and Walworth, as well of course as to her neighbours on the Heygate, her colleagues and her family and friends. Sadly it followed a painful struggle against cancer, which began soon after Maggie was elected to the council in 2002. It is typical of her that even in her last months of sickness, she was concerned as much about others inside and outside hospital as she was about herself; on occasions she was nothing less than patients' shop steward from her hospital bed!

In all my years as Maggie's MP, friend and latterly colleague, I found her a brave, honest and courageous woman. She worked with enthusiasm, energy, directness and humour for her estate, her community, the young, the old, and the disadvantaged - with no discrimination and no prejudice. The public often complain that their elected representatives do not understand how hard life can be. Maggie did, and never forgot it! Her commitment, and her fun - and the privilege of her loyalty and support will be greatly missed. But it will not be forgotten.