Obituary: Baroness Phillips

PERMIT ME to add to the warm tribute paid to Baroness Phillips by Lena Jeger (17 August), writes Gwyn Richards. How true that she had no wish for her name to be used on the letterheads of organisations in which she had no interest or attachment. Hers was an active and participative role or nothing.

On the matter of ageism her passionate opposition and campaigning was not limited to seeking to draw attention to injustices in the field of employment. She felt precisely the same concern for those in retirement when ageism and prejudice created unfairness and inequality of opportunity. During her time as President of the Pre-Retirement Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Norah Phillips made an enormous contribution in encouraging a better understanding of the need for effective preparation when making the transition from full-time employment to retirement.

As a teacher she recognised that changing social conditions required education for new social skills.

Nothing gave Norah greater pleasure, I recall, than exercising that 'common touch', talking with motor-car workers about planning for retirement. She had that gift for passing on to others an enthusiasm 'to flourish in the sunshine of accumulated years', just as she did.