Angela's family have requested no flowers please, but donations to either of her chosen charities.
Angela moved to Spellbrook in 1961 with her husband Ronnie, their three small children and dog. She referred to Ronnie as her “darling man”, and last year they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
In a detailed summary of her time in the area which she sent to the Indie in 2022, she said that shortly after moving, a group of teenagers knocked on their door asking her to start a youth club, which she did – and she was immediately hooked on serving the community.
“I first stood for the Sawbridgeworth Urban District Council (UDC) at the next election and was elected,” she said. “In the meantime I was on the PTA for Spellbrook Primary School.
Angela Alder with her Freedom of the Town award and her “darling” husband Ronnie
“My first big initiative was to persuade the UDC to start a summer play scheme. Unfortunately my fellow councillors did not wish to support my proposal so I said I would run it myself.
“A local resident obviously thought it was a good idea and told the National Playing Fields Association about it and they sent me a cheque for £10, which I used to buy tennis rackets and balls, footballs, cricket bats and balls. That £10 really stretched a long way thanks to the generosity of the shopkeeper.
“Every Friday I had a fun competition and invited the most influential councillors to present the prizes, again kindly donated by Sawbridgeworth retailers. The following year it was included in the budget proposals and continued right up to last year, although now funded through different money streams.”
Angela was also involved in providing the town with a swimming pool. “Sawbridgeworth UDC was the first local authority to develop a joint initiative with Hertfordshire County Council in building a pool,” she said. “I was privileged to chair the steering group, along with Alderman Lilian Lloyd Taylor, who was chair of governors at Leventhorpe School.”
Angela, seen here decorating Great St Mary’s Church in Sawbridgeworth, had a strong Christian faith.
Angela was proactive in her role as a UDC member. ”When I became chairman I initiated a ‘thank you’ evening for representatives of all the local voluntary groups in recognition of their valuable contribution to the wellbeing and social cohesion of our community, replacing what had been the chairman’s annual cocktail party.”
She was also a member of Sawbridgeworth Young People’s Recreation Committee (SYPRC) and chaired the management committee.
During that time she became a governor of three schools – Leventhorpe, Margaret Dane (forerunner of Birchwood High School) and Spellbrook primary – standing down when she was appointed chairman of Hertfordshire School Appeals Committee. She served for 20 years in that capacity.
Angela addresses the audience at an awards evening, watched by husband Ronnie.
Angela was employed by the NHS for five years before being appointed chief officer to the former West Essex Community Health Council and continued in that role until her retirement in 1994.
On December 18, 2020, she was the first patient to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in Bishop’s Stortford, being at the head of the alphabetical queue of people over 80 called by the Stort Valley and Villages Primary Care Network.
Angela Alder was first in the queue for a Covid-19 vaccination in December 2020.
She was elected to Sawbridgeworth Town Council and became chair of its Millennium committee.
Angela was chair of Age Concern Hertfordshire for nine years and during this time became an advisor to Age Concern Bishop’s Stortford. On finishing her county term of office she became a trustee of the Stortford group and subsequently chair for 12 years, serving for more than 30 years in all.
She told the Indie: “I was instrumental in setting up the mental health element of care at Age Concern during my time as chief officer to the community health council so I have a strong affection for that organisation.”
While Angela and Ronnie’s children were growing up she served on PTAs and Scout and Guide supporter committees.
She cooked meals on wheels once a week for three years when the WRVS (Women’s Royal Voluntary Service) rented the kitchen in The Elms, Bell Street, and was a member of the parochial church council for 30 years, chair of the pastoral committee for 20 years and churchwarden for six years.
Angela had a long association with the Hailey Centre in Sawbridgeworth, having been involved with Age Concern Hertfordshire’s outreach facility at the centre while chair of the county charity and subsequently when becoming a town councillor. She was also a trustee for many years and chairman for 15 years.
She said: “I have a strong sense of duty and commitment and am known for my outspoken views about those who join organisations and then fail to deliver or attend important events and functions.
“I have a strong Christian faith which has helped me over many adversities, such as the death of our daughter’s husband at the age of 27, when we supported her and cared for her children while continuing to work, and six months in hospital having a back operation and learning to walk again.”
Ron and Angela at a Remembrance Sunday service.
Angela was devoted to Ronnie, who she said had supported her throughout her endeavours and, while she was in a London hospital, visited her every evening.
In 2024 the couple celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary, surrounded by their family, which included nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Besides being a town councillor, Angela served two terms on East Herts Council from 2015 to 2023.
In May 2024 she was awarded the Freedom of the Town of Sawbridgeworth, describing it as “a huge honour”.
She added: “I’m just an ordinary person. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to do my bit.”
She had stood down from the town council the year before and, on receiving the Freedom of the Town honour, said she wanted to spend more time with her “darling man” and her family – or tribe as she renamed it.
Cllr Parsad-Wyatt said: “Angela dedicated her life to public service and was a stalwart of our community. She helped countless residents and supported dozens of local charities and organisations. Angela was tenacious and forthright, but often with a glint in her eye and always with the community in her mind.
“She will be greatly missed, but she leaves behind a truly remarkable legacy and a life of service that Sawbridgeworth, East Herts and everyone who knew her can be very proud of.
“On behalf of Hertford & Stortford Conservatives, I extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to her husband of 71 years, Ronnie, and their family at this sad time.”
Sawbridgeworth town councillor and former mayor Greg Rattey said that Angela was the epitome of public service. “She absolutely loved Sawbridgeworth and that loyalty shone through in all the many charity organisations she was involved in,” he said.