Jacqui was a forces child, growing up first in Germany, where her mother developed mental health issues. To escape the stigma, the family moved off base and Jacqui’s father left the army. The family settled in Horsham, West Sussex, where Jacqui attended the girls’ High School. After leaving school Jacqui worked in industry developing her technological skills.

 

She married and set up her own recruitment business which was unfortunately a casualty of a messy divorce. Moving to Bognor Regis with her young son and taking care of her mother, Jacqui established herself as a childminder. Jacqui was told by Ofsted she had no dolls that were from a different ethnicity, so she said, ‘I have the real thing’: two Chinese children, a black boy from the US, and also international students from China playing in the garden. She bought a black Action Man!

 

Physical health problems disrupted her work life, these were followed by mental health ones. After a year of not going out she was encouraged to join CAPITAL. In 2010 she undertook the New Members’ Course and became an active member. Jacqui covered her creativity by joining Pallant House and later Outside In, a more inclusive Art organisation, something Jacqui was always passionate about. She had connections within the outsider art movement throughout the country. Her work was included in an exhibition of outsider art at the Tate Modern. As a result of this she instigated the Art of Inclusion project which led to the formation of the art group which still runs today. Her technical skills ensured it carried on remotely during lockdown. She also helped several members create their own online galleries.

 

Jacqui twice received the Peter Brooks award for her tireless peer support of so many members. She was a true friend indeed, always caring for others; whatever their need from help with paperwork to deep cleaning kitchens or just taking time to be there. It took a lot of arm-twisting to persuade Jacqui to become a trustee, but she was voted in as CAPITAL Chair almost immediately. Jacqui led by example in trying to develop and improve trustee engagement in CAPITAL, and helped with fundraising which often took a huge physical toll on her.

 

She always stayed in touch even when life threw her major curve balls. She spent a year in rented accommodation struggling with the aftermath of a fire which resulted in her whole house being emptied due to the smoke damage. Her resilience was huge, sorting list upon list of everything to be replaced that could not be cleaned.

 

Jacqui was thrilled to receive the High Sheriff Special Recognition Volunteer Award in 2020, it was awarded to her as a public acknowledgment of her exceptional kindness, compassion and practical assistance during the very challenging year of 2020. Jacqui died on May 10th 2022 following being in hospital for three weeks with a chest infection and also contracting COVID-19.

 

She leaves behind her only son John and many friends both within CAPITAL and beyond.