Maggie OBE Obituary, Death –Maggie and a group of probation officers started BDP in 1986. They did this because people who used drugs and alcohol in Bristol didn’t have much help at the time. Maggie was an important part of BDP’s early pioneering work in a very busy city. Since then, BDP has been the most important service provider in Bristol for people, families, and communities who are affected by drugs or alcohol. Because of her vast knowledge, experience, determination, and foresight, BDP has become a service provider that many people trust.
Maggie’s work was driven by her desire to fight against the unfairness and shame that some of the most vulnerable people in our society have to deal with. The charity has worked with local government, health, education, police, and community organizations to help reduce harm and help people reach their full potential. This has made people’s lives safer and healthier. Because of this, Bristol is now seen as one of the best places to deal with problems related to drug and alcohol use.
Between 2002 and 2004, Maggie was a key part of setting up the Omari Project in Kenya. This was the first needle exchange and treatment program in sub-Saharan Africa. She was still very interested in making sure that services reached the most vulnerable people.
Maggie was given the OBE in 2007 because of all she had done. She was nominated as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in the West in 2018. Maggie was in charge of BDP during the pandemic. She kept services going without stopping, as she always does, because she was determined to give the best help she could to those who needed it most. Her work is well-known locally, nationally, and internationally, and she has won many awards for it. She was in high demand as an expert speaker in the UK and around the world.
John Long, the Chair of BDP’s Board of Trustees, said, “We are all heartbroken by the loss of a much-loved colleague. She has been in charge of the Charity for 50 years, during which time it has grown and grown. Maggie’s ability to lead, care for others, and never give up inspired everyone around her. We will be sad, but so will a lot of people and their families whose lives she changed and made better through her work. One of the people who cared most about Bristol has died. During this hard time, Maggie’s family is in our thoughts a lot.”