It is with a heavy heart that I write this to inform you that one our Trustees – Andrea Leeman – has recently passed away.
Working in marine conservation, I am privileged enough to meet many wonderful, creative and passionate people; their support and motivation lies at the very heart of why we do this. Andrea, who agreed to become a Trustee of The Reef-World Foundation in 2012, was one of these passionate people.
Protecting marine life and the environment is all about protecting us. We are an intrinsic part of the natural environment; from which we are born from and to which we will return.
You may not have heard of Andrea – better known to us as Andy – but her wise counsel and true moral compass has been invaluable in guiding our path here at Reef-World. Like any good recipe, her values were complemented by other key ingredients in the form of the principles, skills and expertise of the other Trustees. Together, they combine to create an award-winning result. She was always able to help keep us grounded, simplify complicated decisions and boost morale when times were tough.
A wonderful photo of Andy in the 60s
Based in Bristol, Andy enjoyed the simple things in life with an unwavering passion. Cooking, theatre and music were always on her agenda and she loved her frequent trips to her flat in London. Her small garden in Bristol was a secluded haven and a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of London which, like any spicy curry, is best enjoyed in small doses. Harold the pigeon, the robin redbreasts, the common toad, frogs and newts around her pond also gave her so much joy. Andy was never able to go scuba diving but loved hearing the stories and seeing the pictures of our work. The wildlife she loved at home and the joy it brought to her is the reason she was so passionate about helping others protect what they have. She knew the coral reefs that millions depend on for their food and livelihoods bring those communities the same warmth and comfort that our native English species bring to us. We may not notice it but without nature we are less interesting, caring or alive as a species ourselves.
Andy was best known for her cooking and food writing. Her self-taught skills were appreciated by some of the best in her field and with her experience of running many restaurants across London, she was able to tell a story or two! Her cookbooks are successful for many reasons but, to me, there are two main factors which help to elevate them: simplicity and seasonality. Firstly, don’t overcomplicate things or try to make things harder because you think it might taste or work better that way. Strip it back and focus on doing a few simple things well rather than trying to achieve lots of complicated things (which inevitably end up falling short of expectations!). The second was using what the land provides at that time. In today’s society, being able to get everything all year round doesn’t necessarily equate to having a better experience: one good asparagus in season is worth more than being able to have mediocre strawberries all year round.
Anyone will tell you that Andy was one of those rare enigmas in life who might have seemed small and somewhat frail in appearance but was as determined and strong-willed as the toughest out there. If she wanted to achieve something, she wasn’t afraid of rolling up her sleeves and getting the job done. I remember an amusing time when she astonished all her neighbours: her wall fell down outside her house and, not wanting to get the builders round (probably for a variety of reasons), she decided to simply get some cement from the shop and have a go at rebuilding and pointing it herself. Not something your average 70-year-old will have a crack at! It was this kind of mentality that helped Reef-World – and me in particular – realise that if you want to do something tough (and perhaps a task others might leave to someone else for fear of not being able to do it) you shouldn’t be afraid to have a go. More often than not, you will succeed and inspire others along the way.
So, thank you Andy for all your hard work, love, laughter and direction that will live on in your memory through Reef-World continuing to do what we do best: working with people, remembering not to be afraid to have a go at a tough task, keeping the mission simple and looking to nature to tell us what we should be doing.
We will all miss you.
Thank you Andy for everything you’ve done for Reef-World. You will be very much missed.