A tribute to Hattie Llewelyn Davies
Today we remember Hattie Llewelyn Davies and the difference she made to Eastlight and to all of us who knew her.
Putting residents first was never just something Hattie talked about. It was how she worked every day. She helped shape a genuinely resident-led organisation, where people’s voices are heard and matter. You can see that in so much of what we do, from the Customer Influence Committee to the Resident Members Charter.
Her impact came from her dedication, her tireless commitment, her hard work and her intelligence. She brought all of that into every conversation and every decision. But more than anything, it is Hattie as a person that people remember.
She was engaging and approachable and had a way of immediately putting people at ease. She balanced professionalism with real warmth and kindness, so people felt valued and listened to from the start.
Catherine Turner, resident, Board Member and Chair of the Customer Influence Committee, said: “I always found Hattie very professional, but very approachable as well and friendly.”
Gail Shadlock, Board Member, summed it up simply as Hattie being “instinctively great with people.”
In the many tributes shared by Eastlight residents, staff, Board and Committee Members, her warmth and humour come up repeatedly. Company Secretary Harriet Rushton said:
“I’m going to miss Hattie’s laugh. She found the humour whenever she could and it helped in most situations.”
As a Chair, she brought calm, clarity and focus. David Biggs, Board Member, described her as “always resident focused, everything was about the benefit to the resident,” and said we will miss her leadership enormously.
Jo Barrett, Chief Strategy, Governance and Assurance Officer, remembers how Hattie once described someone as “a thoroughly decent human being” – a phrase that says a lot about what mattered to her.
David Mullen, Chief Finance Officer, said: “It’s not often that we encounter someone whose leadership inspires and motivates so deeply.”
Alongside everything Hattie achieved, there was the way she chaired meetings so thoughtfully, guided difficult discussions with care, and brought people with her. She was someone who truly made things better.
Today, we hold on to those moments. The laughter, the kindness, the conversations, and the way she always brought things back to what matters most.
Hattie’s legacy lives on in Eastlight, in the homes, communities and people she helped shape, and in the values she leaves behind.
She will be greatly missed and always remembered.
Read more about Hattie’s remarkable life in an obituary written by her son, Cub Llewelyn-Davies, published by the Guardian: Hattie Llewelyn-Davies obituary | Charities | The Guardian
