Paul Munden writes:

Clare Mallorie (Munden) died suddenly, at home, on 7 October. Clare was our brilliant NAWE administrator for nearly 17 years, and my wife for much longer. Following my email to members immediately after the event, I have been overwhelmed by the wonderfully warm messages of condolence and appreciation for all that Clare did for the association. Many – perhaps all – NAWE members had dealings with Clare by email or post; regular conference goers are those who will have got to know her best. She was an invaluable part of that event for many years – first of all at the Lancaster Conference in 2005, and then at all our residential conferences that followed.

Clare was not a writer herself, but gave an enormous amount of her time, over and above her part-time NAWE hours, to make sure other writers had the support they needed to pursue their careers. The most extreme example was her support for my own three-year research appointment in Canberra, Australia. It meant that, for the last three years of Clare’s life, we only saw each other intermittently, and the fact that further time together has proved impossible is hard to bear.

At the NAWE Conference we will no doubt share various memories of Clare, personally, and in groups, but I’m pleased that there will be at least one occasion at which we will celebrate a tangible memorial. It has only been in the last few days that Nessa O’Mahony and I finished editing the new anthology, Metamorphic: 21st century poets respond to Ovid. There was just time, before sending the book to print, to include a dedication to Clare, which seems especially fitting given that so many NAWE members are included in the anthology. The NAWE Conference in York will include the first of a number of launches for the book, and details of further events will be included in our e-bulletin. (The York launch is open to all NAWE members, not just conference delegates.)

Thank you, again, for all your messages, which have been a huge support for me and my family, and for those working most closely with Clare within this wonderful network we have all built together over 30 years.

For anyone who would like to make a charitable donation in memory of Clare, we have chosen a charity close to her heart: Breast Cancer Now.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/clare-mallorie-munden