Wherever you may be, sending birthday wishes. Thinking of you - beautiful soul x

Today is your funeral. I can’t be there in person because of lockdown, but I will be thinking of you all day. Some funny memories keep popping into my head. In the first, we are still at sixth form and we are taking Jonathon for a walk in his pushchair. You are very careful to make sure he is well back from the road as we wait to cross and you give me statistics about the number of road traffic accidents that happen near to a crossing. I’m not sure if it is now or later that you open up to me about the tragic accident with your friend Sally. You also tell me that a quick walk is just as healthy as a slow jog, words that come back to comfort me years later when I have my own children and am getting frustrated with the lack of freedom to run, weighed down as I am with pushchair, spare clothes and nappies. In another memory we are in Devon with Jonathon. I’m not sure how old he is, but he can ride a bike and we ride along the Tarka trail. You teach me your family anthem “we are the Marsden-Broad association”, based on the guiding song. I pretend that I’m a Marsden-Broad too and we all belt out the tune at the tops of our lungs while cycling through the fresh air. You certainly worked with determination your whole life. It is so hard to grasp that you’ve gone.

Katherine had been a part of my life since the day she was born. My parents went to college with Caroline, Katherine's mum and they have stayed friends ever since. I have so many childhood memories of the 2 of us, from holidaying with her family, to writing each other letters chatting about boys and life as a teenager!!! Both of us fell pregnant at the young age of 17 but we both married our young loves, staying together for many years. Our babies are now 22, really quite unbelievable!!! We lost touch over the years but our mum's are still great friends so I always knew what was going on with you all. So today I wish you, Katherine, a wonderful 40th birthday. I can't believe that I will never get to see you again but you will always live on in your boys, your family and in my memories. Sleep tight xxx