As many of you may now know, our beautiful radio station supporter, Butterfly Meadow creator, fundraiser for Havering Mind and part of Our Grieving Hearts, our friend, Francesca Spiteri has passed away.

I first met Francesca at a Fundraising Casino Night via our mutual Phoenix FM Sales Manager, Steve Roach. We hit it off instantly, she was very funny and looked every inch the Hollywood movie star!

Over the last four years or so, she introduced me to Thames Chase, we had coffee, went for walks and she interacted all the time with the station and my radio show. I’d often get messages from her, or voice notes I would play out. Id say hi to the grandchildren in the car with her. She had this positive energy. If you spent time in her company or if she was in for an interview with me, she left you feeling you could conquer to world!

She was truly a one off, selfless, very kind, thoughtful and did so much for others.

I was on air and said someone had let me down, she appeared with a bunch of flowers. She was the first person to buy my debut CD and she insisted on buying it!

She always talked about her children, her grandchildren and her love for them, proud of them all.

She was a fab photographer and you will see her pictures of nature on her Facebook page, she had a real eye for capturing the Essex countryside. At Butterfly Meadows (see picture) she designed the Butterfly bench as well as being one of the founders to transform the overgrown piece of land into somewhere the bereaved can sit, reflect, talk. It is open to all, take a picnic, enjoy the scenery.

I will take her positivity to life, her enjoyment in everything and everyone with me.

She had messaged me early that morning to say we can go for a walk in the woods, have a coffee and chat soon. I said yes that would be fab and the last message back was ❤ Part of me cannot believe she has gone. I only knew Francesca a short time but she was like a happiness whirlwind that flew into the radio station for interviews,  always laughing, smiling, giving me a compliment.

There will be so many tributes to this amazing woman as she touched so many lives.

Much love gorgeous, you will be missed so much, my condolences to your beautiful children, grandchildren and friends.

Michelle

xxx

Here is a poem written by Francesca, I liked it so much I asked her to record it and added music and visuals, she loved it! Listen here (11) Facebook

BOB SIMPSON

I’ll always remember Francesca.

A beautiful person inside and out.

Kind, caring, thoughtful, hard working and full of life and positivity.

She loved nature and was a wonderful photographer. Even with her phone she was able to take some amazing photographs. This is because she was very observant and looked for beauty in everything.

She taught me how to look at things differently. We went walking in nature a few times and Francesca saw things that would otherwise pass me by – a tiny ladybird on a leaf. The detail in a wild flower. She would often get right down into nature on her knees to get a better look. This made the walks much slower, but far more interesting!

I met one of her daughters and her son. Her adult children and grandchildren are her legacy – they are so nice and an absolute credit to her. I know how proud she was of them all.

Francesca was a bloody terrible driver! We laughed about it and several times I had to take over and park her car for her. All taken in good humour and laughter.

It was always good being around Francesca. Her love of life and positivity shone like a beacon and always lifted me, I regret that we didn’t spend more time together.

One evening Francesca convinced me to watch Mamma Mia the movie. We were actually in separate houses but spent the evening messaging each other while watching the film. Well I say watching the film but I think Francesca was busy clearing out cupboards or something – she never sat still, but the film was on and she was following it and enjoying the music. I remember the banter and laughter we had that evening – we even had a dance together – in separate houses about 5 miles apart.

Then there was the time we arranged to meet up and go for a walk, but the weather wasn’t too good, so we drove to the council refuse tip instead to dump some of her garden rubbish. It didn’t matter, we still had a fun time, full of laughter and positivity.

There is so much more I could say including how she would always be there for others, and how she helped people through her charity work, including Butterfly Meadow. Francesca touched many lives, always for the better.

I’ll miss her greatly, but I’ll always remember the laughter, her kindness and positivity, her energy, her beauty.

ANDY FURNEAUX 

…I first met Francesca many years ago, when she was the shop manager at the Saint Francis Hospice retail shop in Brentwood high Street.
Myself & my colleague Linda were Ambassadors for the charity back then, knocking on the doors of homeowners, shops & businesses to talk about the work of the Hospice & encourage support & regular giving.
We called in to the shop hoping for a little rest & a cup of tea, as she was effectively, a colleague!
As what must of been the case for so many people meeting Francesca for the first time, you are literally struck by her beauty.
She was a stunningly beautiful woman, but at the point of meeting her you just didn’t know all the other qualities she possessed.
She made myself & Linda most welcome (& a cup of tea) & we both took an instant liking to her.
She was brilliant with the customers & I was somewhat sad when I later learned she’d moved on to other employment.
I personally felt she was a real asset for the charity, simply because of her demeanor.
But even after she no longer worked for the charity I kept bumping into her over the years.
We exchanged numbers & became friends and a lot of that was based on that very first meeting.
She was always kind, interested & very considerate of the Hospice as a charity.
We spoke quite openly of her plans for Butterfly Meadow and something she had in common with my colleague Linda is they had both suffered the loss of a child.
In my colleague Linda’s case, sadly the loss of two children.
Francesca was very compassionate about this.
Since hearing the news, I’ve looked at the last messages we exchanged.
We had discussed the possibility of her coming on to one of my shows to talk about Butterfly Meadow.
The last time I saw her, was a chance meeting, fashionably in a Tesco in Romford.
She looked, once again, simply beautiful.
She always did, I’m sure everyone would agree & I’m glad now that I always complimented her…always.
We chatted how much she was enjoying her estate agency work & how it really suited her.
I’m kinda glad that’s my last memory of her, because it’s a good one.
When I heard this utterly shocking & sad news, one of the first things I did was call my colleague Linda and her response was “oh my, she was always beautiful & so kind”
I think that is everyone’s impression.
Once met, never forgotten.
Rest in eternal peace my friend.
I can honestly say it was a pleasure to know you.
You certainly left your mark on this world.