Memorial held for Ruth Isaacs, in One Community’s Allotment Garden

On a rainy August afternoon, 60 people gathered together to celebrate the life of Ruth Isaacs in one of her favourite places – the allotment space in the RBKC Community Kitchen gardens. One Community has run this garden for almost four years now and has become a space for its much loved and popular gardening group.

Ruth adored the One Community garden and led on the allotment throughout 2021, planting, tendering, making lattice fences and volunteering for a time with our Westway gardener partners.

Having formed connections with other members through the gardening group, Ruth joined One Community’s Well Read group where she would make everybody laugh and smile through her committed performance as Madam Acarti in Blithe Spirit. Ruth also joined the Well Written group and inspired other members with her beautiful descriptions of the things she loved including nature, music, fashion and art.

Ruth’s sister, Delila, and the One Community team organised the day where family, friends and fellow One Community members could come together, share their memories of Ruth and pay tribute to her warmth and passion.

One Community partners, Westway Gardeners and RBKC Community Gardeners, gifted a beautiful plum tree which was planted for Ruth, and people were invited to sprinkle soil over the roots in memory of her. Ruth’s sister laid a wooden plaque next to the tree and many others gave speeches, paying tribute to the connections Ruth made with people through the One Community network, and beyond.

Acclaimed cellist and singer, Ayanna Witter Johnson, travelled straight from the airport (having just played in Marbella) to sing a song for Ruth called Nightingale. This performance was arranged with the help of Ben Gritten and the radio group that Ruth was a part of.

One Community members had the opportunity to thank Delila, Ruth’s friends and family for generously raising over £3000 for the One Community movement in Ruth’s honour.

You can donate in Ruth's memory on Delila's Just Giving page which is available here: Delila Peck is fundraising for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund (justgiving.com)

Delia said: “It was so lovely to see so many of Ruth’s friends at the Memorial at the St Charles garden. It was truly humbling to hear how much Ruth meant to so many people and by planting the tree, Ruth’s memory will live on through the work of One Community.”

Cate Latto, One Community Founder, said “from the first day we met Ruth, we felt as though she had always been with us, and not a day goes by when I don’t think about her. There was always a twinkling smile and warm laughter around Ruth. She was a force of nature, a bringer of joy and always looked amazing in her bright colours and bold styles. She is always with us and her sister, Delila, family and friends are part of One Community now. Ruth, you will always be in our hearts and in our thoughts.”

Cate added: “special thanks to Annie and John at Westway Gardeners, and to Lisa Wilkinson for giving us the two allotment plots where we could plant a tree in Ruth’s memory. One Community loves and cherishes this beautiful space.”