A Ceremony to Remember Claire Frodsham
Wednesday 1st March 2023 at 12.50pm
Highbury Hall
Family and friends are invited to a ceremony at Highbury Hall to remember and celebrate Claire’s life.
The ceremony will take place from 12.50pm and will last around an hour, please arrive from 12.30pm.
Claire will be cremated in private following the ceremony, but everyone is invited to remain in the hall for refreshments and food.
Dress Code
Please come in whatever you feel is comfortable.
Highbury Hall Address
4 Yew Tree Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8QG
Parking is restricted on site currently as buidling work is taking place, so please either come by public transport, share lifts or use the on-road parking on Yew Tree Rd.
Wheelchair access can be found on the far side of the building. Go past the main doors, turn left at the end of the building and access to the hall is along this path.
A map can be found by clicking this link
Claire’s family welcome any tributes, words of remembrance and stories about her so do feel free to leave any messages at the bottom of this webpage. (Please note comments are moderated so do not go live immediately)
Donations
Claire’s family have requested no flowers and would prefer donations to be made, so if you wish, you may want to contribute to one of two chairites which were very pertinent to Claire.
There will be donation boxes available on the day, however if you wish to donate online, please use the links below:
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My dear friend Claire
I originally met Claire in our first year at Aston University, but we didn’t become friends until our final year, when we both joined the newly formed Women’s Group. It was like a breath of fresh air for me to get to know her and our other feminist friends. As Claire and I got to know each other better, we spent many a late night discussing all sort of topics and generally having a good time, either on our own or with others. She was witty and very articulate: we often ended up in hysterical laughter, but I never stood a chance of defeating her logic in any discussion we had along the years.
After leaving university, I remained close friends with her and Anita and we went on various trips and holidays together. She loved driving and exploring. One particularly memorable night was on a holiday in South West Scotland. We had been on a long daytrip and didn’t have enough petrol to get back to our base: petrol stations were closed for the night. The three of us ended up sharing a room in a B and B overlooking the rocky island of Ailsa Craig. This inspired Claire, with her vivid imagination, to start making up ghost stories. She had us in stitches until we heard mysterious sounds outside our room that terrified us!
Later on, of course, she met Elissa and they formed the longstanding relationship that was to last for the rest of Claire’s life. I was honoured to be part of the ‘top table’ at their Civil Partnership celebration. It felt like a very special occasion: their generosity and thoughtfulness in planning the event were overwhelming.
Some of my happiest memories of Claire are from my 50th birthday trip to Iceland. Claire organised the trip and drove us around. She was truly inspired by the spectacular geography and history of Iceland and was keen to share it with me. She loved the natural world generally and her enthusiasm was always infectious. On the evening of my birthday, Elissa produced a bottle of champagne, which we drank in the hotel’s hot tub, overlooking a beautiful fjord. The whole holiday was amazing and I will be forever grateful to Claire for organising it.
So, dear Claire, our friendship of 42 years has come to an end, but memories of you will stay with me forever. Despite the challenges of the last few years, you always remained loyal and caring towards me, which I find quite remarkable looking back: you were a precious friend. You’ve died way too young but I am glad that at least you are no longer suffering. Cheers Claire!
What can I say! So so much.. I fell in love with Claire the first day I met her on Salt Spring Island, Canada. Claire and Elisa quickly became best friends and family to me. I’ve shared some of the best years and adventures of my life with them both.
I admired Claire on a daily basis, her wisdom, insight, knowledge, kindness, humour, intelligence, commitment to others, sense of fairness and the ability to see the best in everyone, to name but a few.
I love you Claire, will miss you and will carry our connection all through my life ❤️
Eileen xox
Like Hazel, I met Claire in the Aston University Women’s group over 40 years ago. It was a time of great change and of campaigning for women’s rights, and Claire was at the vanguard of any action, seemingly fearless and making me feel like an utter wimp! She was passionate about many things and fought vigorously for her beliefs. An evening spent with her was guaranteed to contain at least one rant but also laughter to the point of tears and aching sides She was so witty, so bright and so vehement.
Nobody could ignore Claire! I will miss her, but she is unforgettable and the memories of evenings full of great conversation, food, drink and laughter will always stay with me.
I met Claire many many years ago, when I registered on a Registered Managers course with Birmingham City Council, she was my lecturer.
Over the years of knowing Claire, she became a mentor and a very good friend.
I remember when we went to Spain as a group and it was carry on only, and when she saw me with my suitcase she couldn’t stop laughing and began calling me Beyoncé.
She gave me some good advice and knowledge that I’ve applied within my business to this day. Thank you Claire.
Love Always❤️
Claire-what a force of nature, what an utterly wonderful human being. You touched so many people’s lives and for the good.
I met Claire in 1989 when I was undertaking some training as a social worker and Claire had come into Chamberlain House to teach us. I heard her northern accent and straightaway had an affinity with her as like my husband Claire was from St Helens and from Parr which I know so well.
Claire’s value base and enthusiasm for working with disadvantaged people was inspiring and her influence on me has been life changing and has helped make me the person I am today. I like to think that Claire was one of the reasons I started a pathway in learning and development when I came to work at Chamberlain House as a training officer. At Chamberlain House I was lucky enough to then meet Elisa who I shared an office with, what joy that was too! Happy memories for me was attending a party at Claire and Elisa’s home dressed as Dobby from Harry Potter and drinking tea whilst wondering through their beautiful garden. Latterly, I have enjoyed receiving their home designed Christmas cards as I moved St Helens not far from where Claire lived as a child. May all our happy memories and love for Claire be a comfort to Elisa.
Thank you Claire for:
Returning my denim jacket that you borrowed to attend a raucous Cell Block H party.
Knowing who Morrisey and the Smiths are.
Pointing out that Erasure was her music not mine.
Introducing me to Armistead Maupin, Toni Morrison, Jeanette Winterton.
Shrieking with laughter at Wood and Walters, Ruby Wax and ‘The Royal Family’
Bemoaning the state of the Rugby League scores.
Being my mucker and another Lancashire lass albeit from St Helens and not Greater Manchester – you can’t have everything ouch!!!
Gingerly relishing a Marks and Spencer trifle after being nil by mouth for weeks in a hospital bed.
Remaining spirited, humorous, witty and concerned for others.
Your love of friends, family, sisters but especially your gal Elissa who stood by you with love.
I first met Claire in the mid 1990s when we both worked at Chamberlain House. She was so different to anyone I had met before and we hit it off straight away. She was so funny, being such a great storyteller would often have me in stitches over the simplest and complicated things. She introduced me to the “Wednesday Night Gang” and this further cemented our friendship.
As well as being my friend, Claire was also my mentor, teaching me how to “be” in the training room. There was no-one better than her in the training room, she was brilliant. Gentle and supportive when she needed to be and hard hitting when called for.
She was passionate and committed to equality and we would often have discussions about “the left” and how they needed to change.
Claire and Elissa showed such generosity to the Chamberlain crew, opening their home to many a gathering, and this was in keeping with their warmth and kindness to us all.
I will remember Claire as a true inspiration, a champion for equality, a generous and supportive friend and mentor and one half of a beautiful couple
Claire was my cousin and although I didn’t see much of her because she lived in Birmingham.
The last time I saw her at her mum and dads house she entertained with her stories. She always reminded me of Victoria Woods. I will miss her and I am sad that she went too soon RIP Claire and go and sing Funny Face with our Jimmy and my dad xxx
Dear Claire, you were a super person, always looking to be helpful, a thoroughly good and funny person who was thought highly of by those who knew her. I was so sorry to learn of your passing, too soon, and my thoughts are with Elissa and your family. Julie and I send our love.