In memory of Janis Priestley, a much-loved friend to many of us.

Janis was co-founder of Lichfield and District Writers’ Workshop (as we were called then) in 1990 along with the late Hilary Fawcett, and she served as the group’s secretary until 1994, when health problems forced her to stand down. Such was her enthusiasm for the group and unswerving commitment to it that at times she was running it virtually single-handed through much of that period, despite her ever-worsening Parkinson’s disease. Nothing attests louder to this than the fact that her workload was divided between no less than three people after she quit as secretary!

A committed Christian with a lively sense of humour, Janis was always supportive of those in need and always keen to encourage her fellow writers. As well as being an active member of L&DW, she hosted the occasional guest workshop in her home and was instrumental in setting up our annual short story competition. In her own right, she was a widely published poet (both humorous and religious verse) as well as a skilled short story writer. Her self-published collection of poetry and letters ‘PS, Jesus sends his love’ ran to a second edition.

In 1996, Janis moved from Lichfield to Cornwall with her family, and her presence in the group was sorely missed. She continued to write, however, and was instrumental in setting up writing groups in her new home area.

Janis died in her sleep on the night of Thursday, 3rd May, 2007, at a nursing home in Torpoint.