I was much saddened by the untimely death of my friend and former PR colleague, Anne Howarth, aged just 51. Anne had succeeded me as president of Women in Public Relations (WPR) in 2003 and continued to hold this busy voluntary post for three years.
Anne was formerly in-house PR manager at Cockburn & Campbell and was a well-known figure in the drinks industry for many years. She was also a trained lawyer and barrister but eschewed the legal profession in favour of the wine industry.
After working in Paris, Anne joined Corney & Barrow, where she honed her knowledge of wine. A stint in Burgundy, working for Olivier Leflaive preceded her return to the UK and eventually her position at Cockburn & Campbell. Anne was an accredited tutor for the Wine & Spirit Educational Trust and much sought after for her expertise and ‘joie de vivre’ on all wine matters.
Anne’s funeral took place on 30th May in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings of St James's Church, Alveston, near Stratford upon Avon, where she had made her home amongst good friends and family. She leaves behind her beloved dog, Rock, named after the Cornish town where she enjoyed many happy holidays. Indeed Anne and I shared some some cherished 'down time' together walking the dog on the beach in nearby Port Isaac, which was our family retreat for a few years.
Charity donations in Anne’s memory are being made to the Spinal Injuries Association, which was close to her heart due to family tragedy – her mother was paralysed from the neck down in an accident when Anne was just 13 months old, but lived with her disability for 27 years and long enough to see her daughter’s considerable professional success.
Anne will be greatly missed by those of us who knew her.
Lynne Parker MCIPR
