HAD Patron Athene Sanders Obituary

It is with great sadness that we announce the recent death of HAD Patron Athene Sanders.

Athene died, aged 91, on June 15, just three days after a fundraising garden party at her home raised over £900 for HAD.

“She had been working hard on this event for some time and I spoke with her often over the phone,” Chairman of Fundraising Paul Bishop explained. “We were both looking forward to meeting up again. It’s really sad we never got together.”

Athene (pictured above left with HAD Director Edna Stephens and late Chairman Terry Stevens) had a stroke a few days before the event but typically she and her family decided ‘the show must go on’ and despite wet weather everyone had a great time.

She first became involved with HAD in 1971 and was a passionate supporter of ours and several other local charities and causes.

Nearly 200 people attended her funeral on June 29. It took place at the Chapel of the Holy Cross and St Alban, across the road from her Brickendon home, Hacketts. Everyone was invited to her beloved garden for lunch afterwards.

All those who were there will long remember this celebration of a remarkable lady who will be greatly missed.

"Her generosity of spirit was legendary," Paul Bishop added. "Indeed it lives on - she named HAD as the beneficiary of any donations. This has yielded nearly £1500 so far."

You can read a brief tribute to Athene plus all the latest news on HAD products and people in the Summer issue of Helping Hand magazine.