Sharon and I, like many other friends and colleagues, were devastated to hear of Alison Lone’s death last week.
Another dear friend has passed on. And one so young too.
Alison and I first met and became colleagues when I joined NIACE’s e-Guides team (one of several ICT/e-learning-trainers who came along to represent work-based learning and to join the existing, successful, adult learning team) many years ago. We were both already established in different parts the then nascent e-Learning world.
We soon became fast friends and worked together on a number of projects both private and national. Alison had a wonderful sense of humour and every job we did together was a delight.
Over the years we travelled to India together on several occasions (representing City and Guilds) and had a great time there, both working with the wonderful trainees and when time allowed, with exploring the huge city of Bangalore.
And laughing – lots of laughing.
She always talked fondly of the people we met there and would have gone back like a shot, knowing that she would be welcomed with open arms.
Crossing the road over there in India can be so dangerous that Alison and I once attached ourselves to two old ladies who were themselves crossing a very busy road. Without drawing breath or looking around, these two old dears simply stepped into the stream of traffic (still chatting to each other) and we just jumped in behind them, laughing all the time. The traffic simply gave way and drove around the obstruction we were causing.
There are SO MANY stories from our three visits to India together. Too many for here. Maybe over a drink some time? With friends that knew her? With other friends who accompanied her to India too?
Alison and her partner Andy also visited our apartment in Spain several times, usually to celebrate Andy’s birthday in December, and they enjoyed the area so much that they eventually bought our apartment, when we decided to move to a slightly bigger one. The last time I saw Alison was there, in their apartment in Spain, earlier this year.
We spoke on the phone a couple of weeks ago and agreed that there were some inadequacies in the way her illness was being dealt with but it’s not for me to detail the shortcomings of the NHS around Stourbridge. Yet someone should!
Last week, Alison had gone into hospital on Monday, after an eleven hour wait for an ambulance, and she then steadily declined over the week.
She will be missed by all who knew her.
“Such a lovely human being and can never forget our days with you two during our training” … “Never once was she strict or stern with us during our training but still always made us all perform with ease at the end. She will be missed by us all.”
Swarnambigai Mohan
“Om Shanthi”
Sreelatha
“May God give strength to her family to overcome this loss!”
Sarala
“May the soul rest in peace.”
Kavya
“Very sad news, we missed a great person. May her soul rest in peace”
Madhu
Saturday Walks 