Scotsman Obituaries: Penny Richardson, social and healthcare advocate

Penny devoted her life to strengthening Scotland’s voluntary and community sectors, and to improving health and social care for all. Her remarkable career reflected her lifelong commitment to fairness, creativity and inclusion.

Penny was born on 31 July 1946 in Edinburgh but the family moved to Harbottle in Northumberland when she was a very young child. Her father was the village GP and her mother a nurse. Penny went to the local primary school and briefly to a convent school in Alnwick. She returned to Edinburgh for her secondary school years as a boarder at St Denis Girls School and then went on to take a degree in English at Edinburgh University. She later did a postgraduate qualification in Youth and Community Work at Moray House.

She began her working life in theatre and community arts, holding key roles at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre and Theatre Workshop, where she supported artists and promoted access to the arts for diverse communities. Moving into health and social care, she became Director of the Scottish Association of Health Councils, championing public health and consumer rights, and then served as Director of the Edinburgh and Lothian Council on Alcohol and of Living Well North Edinburgh.

Penny was a respected leader and advocate in national health initiatives, chairing the Public Health Alliance Scotland and the Scottish Association for Mental Health’s Why Women? campaign. She was also a founder member of the Cervical Smear Campaign and played a leading role in organising the groundbreaking Scottish Women’s Health Fair in 1983 – an event “for and by ordinary women” that helped redefine how women’s health was discussed in Scotland.

Her influence extended well beyond these roles. She worked as a consultant specialising in voluntary sector change management, chaired the Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC), and was the first voluntary sector Chair of the Edinburgh Compact – Scotland’s first such partnership between the public and voluntary sectors.

Penny was deeply rooted in her local community of Stockbridge, where she lived happily for many years. Her commitment to local life continued well into retirement: she chaired the Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council, helped develop plans for a local community development trust and served as Treasurer of the Inverleith Allotments Committee. Her support for young people endured through her trusteeship of the Ponton House Trust, a role she held until her death.

A dedicated member of the Labour Party, Penny chaired the Stockbridge branch in the 1990s and was widely respected by senior politicians for her integrity and dedication. She also campaigned passionately for the creation of a new Edinburgh Eye Hospital, working alongside Sarah Boyack MSP and others to bring the issue to national attention.

Beyond her many achievements, Penny was known for her warmth, generosity and friendship. Her home was a place of welcome and joy – never more so than during her much-loved New Year gatherings, where laughter, debate and community spirit filled the room. She was never short of a greetings card, to thank friends for a meal or NHS staff for a particular service.

Penny Richardson leaves behind a lasting legacy of compassion, courage, kindness and commitment. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends and all who had the privilege to know her.

Obituaries

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