Mid Sussex councillors observer minute’s silence in memory of Margaret Hersey – ‘a woman who lived to serve her community’

Mrs Hersey represented Lindfield on the district council until 2019, served on the rural parish council for a number of years and was recently recognised for her decades-long service to the community.

During a meeting of the full council on Wednesday (March 27), members spoke about her knowledge and commitment to her work and their privilege at having served with her.

Gary Marsh described Mrs Hersey as a good friend, adding: “She served this council with great distinction and she also served the residents of Lindfield…with great distinction.”

Speaking about her husband Chris, also a councillor, who died in February last year, Mr Marsh said: “They’re both together now.”

Cavan Wood spoke about Mrs Hersey’s ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of planning’, adding: “She was a woman who lived to serve her community and, right at the heart of that was her partnership with Chris over so many years.

“It heartened and encouraged and moved me that just a few weeks after Chris’s death, following the election, she came to see me and to encourage me and to tell me very strongly to serve the community that I’d now been elected to serve.

“It was a privilege to know Margaret and to learn from her wisdom.”

Mr and Mrs Hersey were honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Mid Sussex Applauds awards in November 2022 for more than 40 years of service to their community.