Last updated 05:41, Friday, 19 September 2008

Sue Bennett’s life and work touched hundreds more people in Cumbria than the family and friends who are mourning her tragically premature death, aged 47, in a canoeing accident on the River Eden.

She was one of those rare, multi-talented people able to inspire and lead young people without ever patronising them.

And she also helped inspire the trust of the grateful parents whose youngsters took part in the scores of projects she and the Eden Community Outdoors team ran in Appleby and other Eden towns.

Since the late 1990s, summer camps, adventure weeks and round-the-year activities have given Eden’s young people the chance to try everything from basket weaving to break dancing – to have fun and gain confidence while caring for others and the environment.

In 2000 Sue was invited to 10 Downing Street for a reception hosted by then Prime Minister Tony Blair to honour the rural community. She went as an ambassador for an Appleby youth club, whose members had been campaigning for more to do in the town.

“I was told Mr Blair wanted to give us practical help and was asked what we wanted,” she told The Cumberland News afterwards.

In fact, in Sue herself the youngsters already had something priceless in terms of drive, commitment and empathy.

Now the UK is facing an obesity epidemic, her ‘get out and get on with it’ message has never been more relevant.

Sue’s work will live on and perhaps the best memorial Cumbria can give her is to ensure that her enthusiasm and her belief in young people are reflected in the regeneration strategies currently being drawn up.