Early on Wednesday May 23rd this week we lost Pat.

I am proud to be able to call Pat my friend. She was the one who taught me that anyone can sing - maybe not well but certainly loudly. And she wrote the Housework shanty that removed that form of music from male domination for all time (I quote Jimmy McGeehan).

Whatever Pat did, whether she was getting herself arrested and imprisoned as part of her CND protests or running a folk club or a youth club or writing songs for Ranting Sleazos or nurturing her allotment or championing the rights of others or running her church music group or learning to navigate a narrowboat or singing in the philharmonc choir - she did it with passion because Pat was a passionate woman.

She even saw her final illness as an interesting journey she was going to make the most of. Sadly for Paul, John and Ruth and all her family and friends it was just way, way too short.

Pat could be your mentor or your champion or a thorn in your side - but it was all from the heart. We are going to miss her. Like her husband Paul said, she has left a very large footprint on the world.

Pat's funeral will take place at Ss Peter and Paul Church in New Brighton on the Wirral at 1.15pm next Friday June 1st. And in keeping with the lyrics of Pat's song 'Funeral Rites' anyone coming along should 'wear no black clothes for me'.