Liz Posner

Sarah, Liz, the trustees, executive, and everyone at Helping Hands mourn the sad passing of Liz Posner, one of our founders, a trustee and our president. Below is the eulogy read by Sarah at the L'voyah.

Liz Posner, known to us as Liz P or Mrs P, was a founding member of Helping Hands, our president and a much-loved member of the Helping Hands team.

This is a eulogy for Liz P but it is also a story of friendship, not to be underestimated, between completely different women through all of life's ups and downs.

Last night my husband David told me how he remembers coming home late in the afternoon and being greeted by the sound of me, Liz P, and Liz S laughing hysterically, usually over something small, but extremely witty from Liz P, that triggered us and always from 4pm onwards.

For over 20 years we met in person at each other’s homes, every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 to 5ish. Sometimes just the 3 of us and sometimes with members of the Helping Hands executive which meant more laughter and more amazing women working together.

"No fancy office then!"

Lunch was provided and when it was Liz P’s turn, out came her famous homemade mayonnaise and, if we were very lucky, meringues for dessert.

Over a lifetime, through thick and thin, the two Liz’s and myself spoke almost every day on the phone, as well as meeting in person and liaising with the exec.

Liz P was the voice of Helping Hands. The phone was in her flat and she was the first point of contact.

With her wonderful people skills, she was brilliant at dealing with complicated requests and equally brilliant at networking for Helping Hands long before social media became a thing. She was our social media.

Long before Zoom, the amazing women who made up the Helping Hands exec, would meet in person once a month to talk “Helping Hands”. It was a miracle if we got through the meeting without dissolving into laughter mainly due to Liz P, but we still managed to get everything done usually by determination and thinking outside the box.

Liz P’s catering skills were legendary and endless. She loved organising the Helping Hands teas and meeting and greeting the clients & volunteers. She would love to know that Helping Hands now sends out regular deliveries of soup and rolls to our clients as it was originally her idea and project.

Liz P also had a wealth of fundraising ideas that were always successful. From the Function That Never Was to the Helping Hands Pub Quizzes in Your Own Home, where Liz P’s home was quiz headquarters.

Then there was her driving. Who knew it took two and a half hours to get from Hove to Haywards Heath? It does if you went with Liz P via East Grinstead!!!!

As time went on Helping Hands grew and became a charity. Liz P was very proud of that.

She became a trustee and then life president and, in her latter years, we still spoke on the phone even when it was difficult as it was important for her to feel wanted.

For myself, Liz S and the Helping Hands team, our memories are of so much laughter, so many stories we can’t possibly tell and so much amazing input from Liz P.

We just gelled, it was magic.

Liz P became Mrs P to us and will always remain so.