I WAS sorry to learn of the death of Margot Craig, writes Ann Tilbury.

She will be missed by many.

I knew Margot for some years and we often crossed paths when volunteering at the same place. I have frequently said that if you want to meet people, volunteer to help out somewhere or other. 

She was a founder member of Horsell Care, the opening of which, in September 1990, was attended by, along with the mayor, two of Horsell’s most famous residents, Alec and Eric Bedser, the cricketing twins.

Alec made a moving speech about how he and his brother had to care for their mother on their own and how invaluable an organisation such as Horsell Care could be. When Margot suggested the group should have a president, Alec accepted. Both brothers became patrons.

This would, doubtless, have pleased Margot’s husband, John, who was a keen cricketer playing at Woking and Horsell Cricket Club in the 1970s, when wives and girlfriends were expected to make the teas.

It could be a chore but Margot knew cricket was part of the social fabric then, with families going to the club to watch play, and children playing on the outfield after a game while the adults socialised over a drink.

I was told another cricketing story: Margot was in a council meeting which was dragging on. As she got something from her handbag a photo of the then England cricketer, David Gower, fell out.

He was something of a pin-up to her but a fellow Liberal Democrat councillor sitting next to her was not a cricket fan, did not recognise Gower, and assumed that the picture was of one of her four sons. So he got out a photo of one of his children, which amused Margot greatly.

John and Margot were interested in local history, despite being “incomers”. John wrote some very well researched and interesting books on the development of Horsell, which were published by the Woking History Society.

Margot was a very sociable lady. One of her sons told me how, shortly after arriving in Woking, she went to introduce herself to the family living in the house opposite. 

To their mutual astonishment, it turned out that Margot and Ita, the lady of the house, had been good friends at school in faraway Hull but had lost contact over the years. 

That is a lesson for people moving house: always make contact with the neighbours, it could turn out to be very interesting.

And remember the truth that Margot knew well – volunteering is good for you.