Sarah was a kind, funny and creative sister and being just that bit older (which, as we all know, counts a lot when you’re younger) was very switched on and a great source of ideas and inspiration to me, her (at times) appreciative but (probably always) very annoying younger brother…she introduced me to Keroac, Stanley Kubric films and …much better tunes…wasn’t I the fortunate one!
 
From the get go, Sarah had great taste in music, and as teenagers, I’d always love hearing the Specials and Sade through the shared bedroom wall, followed up by Tom Waits then a bit of dub, if it was turning into a later one for her and friends. In later years, many a raucous Hotwells Sunday lunch was accompanied by Sarah and friends cranking up Louis Jordan loud and blending yet another round of deceptively potent cocktails over hilarious anecdotes about rude café customers and creative retribution…be careful what you wish for, punters!
 
As well as a great ear for music, Sarah had an amazing eye, too…She had real talent with a camera…many of her images beautiful, deep and resonant. …Some of Sarah’s black and white photos from adventures in Lisbon and beyond, taken in her early 20s, are etched into my mind’s eye for eternity. Sarah certainly had soul and knew how to capture and convey it too…
 
As I’m sure Damian will agree, Sarah worked in and managed some funny and quirky restaurants around both Bristol and London. In the 90’s, she and her friends brought oddly great food, proper vodka, tremendous atmosphere  and a lot of laughs to the edge of then teetering Totterdown with crazy café Glasnost. All that was missing was a stuffed statue of Joseph Stalin. In Covent Garden, Sarah had quite a stint at Neal’s Yard and I was working around the corner on Old Compton Street at Ed’s Diner – we had some hilarious times having after work “staffies” and navigating the very late night and lesser known haunts of Soho…Madame JoJo’s anyone!?  Around that time, we were in our early to mid 20s, and London felt like the centre of the universe and it was also the era of the second summer of love…A strange yet compelling mixture of Ronnie Scotts meets 24 Hour Party People. Sarah and I knew that we were then so lucky to be young people, alive at a time of such hope and really in the midst of it all…
 
I remember such times often and I will always remember my dear sister Sarah as…the ebullient, brave, outspoken and cool (in a wordly wise way) sister who had my back, cared deeply about other people and was authentically kind.
 
I love you and I miss you Sarah.
 
Your brother,
 
James
 
See you out there in the Universe!