Our friend Sarah Richards, who has died aged 46 of breast cancer, combined her passions for knitting, veganism and social networking with an energy that was inspiring. In 2002, she founded the Bolton Knitting Noras with her friend Bev Adam, meeting in a cafe each Sunday to knit and chat. When they launched a Yahoo group, the membership rose to almost 80 and similarly named circles popped up around Britain.
But mostly she will be remembered for her warmth, humour and generosity. After she died, one friend recalled how a normally monosyllabic and grumpy taxi driver was joking away within minutes of Sarah getting into his cab. Another remembered how, lost in Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire, she was guided into a pub by the sound of Sarah’s big, hearty laugh.
