James
My sister Sarah and I would like to say a few words on behalf of the five children.  Before we do we would first like to thank you all for being here, whether it is in person or virtually, to help us remember and celebrate mum’s life. We would also like to thank everyone for all your kind messages, many of you sharing your memories of mum, which have been lovely to read and have brought comfort to us at this difficult time.
 
Mum was a very special lady and we were incredibly lucky and blessed that she was our mother. With five children, life in the Redfern household was never dull and now as parents ourselves we can fully appreciate the work that this entailed and probably accounts for why none of us ventured to have five kids!
 
Despite being such a busy household mum always knew exactly what was going on, if there was a squabble she always knew exactly who the culprit was and she often said ‘I have eyes in the back of my head’ and at the time it seemed to us that she did. Mum ensured that as well as school we had the opportunity to participate in all sorts of other activities such as brownies, guides, cubs, scouts, football, tennis, gymnastics to name but a few. And as well as ensuring we were each ready and delivered to the right activity, mum would also help out whenever this was needed, which led to her becoming Snowy Owl at the Brownie pack attached to this church.
 
As many of you will know mum was a great organiser and over the years she arranged several holidays and looking back on some of these one can say that mum was something of a trailblazer. Before canal boat holidays really took off the Redfern’s were motoring on up the Grand Union canal.
 
This was all pre Google Maps and Satnav, yet whether in the middle of Bodmin Moor, a remote village in Wales or half way up the Grand Union Canal, without fail mum managed to locate a Catholic Church within a half hour walk or drive so we could all attend mass on Sunday.
 
Mum was a wise woman, sharp as a tack.  Even when in Acton Care Home she was able to recognize our voices and point the finger in Sarah’s direction and say ‘Bossy Boots’.  As I said, sharp as a tack!
 
 
 
Sarah
Looking after us five kids tearing around the house in the 60’s and 70’s, can’t have been easy.  But if that wasn’t enough, mum taught English as a foreign language in the evenings, sat on various school, church and charity committees and boards as well as found time for her friends with coffee and badminton evenings.  This instilled in us all the drive to lead as full a life as she did and to realise that hard work was central to achieving that.
 
Mum recognised us for the individuals that we all are. She encouraged and supported us in our education and the different career choices we all made.  She was always interested to know what was going on in our lives and whether it was visits home or chats on the telephone she always kept up to date with all our news.  She also loved the arts and from an early age introduced us to and took us to the theatre, which she also carried on with the next generation and it is something that we have all continued to enjoy.
 
As partners came along she welcomed them into the family or as it is affectionately known by some ‘The Redfern Village’, as between us we have ten children. Mum played an active role in all their lives and they too have many memories of times spent at Tudor Way or outings that they went on with their grandmother. The importance of time together as a family was a constant in our lives.  A great example of this is our Christmas celebrations. As we grew up and left home there was still that magnetic pull back to a family gathering in Tudor Way over Christmas/Boxing day that has now grown in number as it incorporates our partners and children and was often extended to family ice skating at Somerset House, Kew Gardens and Hampton Court. 
Whilst mum’s cancer diagnosis came as a shock to us all we are grateful that we had the opportunity to spend time with her and were all able to be with her when she died. Mum was a wonderful mother and we are fortunate to be left with so many happy and special memories. She taught us all what is really important in life - to love, support and care for the friends and family in your lives.
 
When we look back we can all say that our childhood was filled with lots of love and laughter.  It was a great privilege to be one of her children, one of her friends and hence we can understand why this church is so full today. Thank you all once again for supporting our family today.