Following the sad passing of Deirdre Scrimgeour, a thanksgiving service in her honour will be held on Monday 7 April at 3pm at St George’s Church, Preshute. This will be followed by a reception at Wyke Bottom Barn at Temple Farm, Rockley – a place that Deirdre especially loved.
Her funeral, which is a private family affair will take place next Wednesday and will respect her desire for a very simple service.
Deirdre’s daughter Annabel said: “Mum had discussed her final wishes with Sarah Musgrave, who will be conducting both her funeral and her thanksgiving service. Whilst her thanksgiving will reflect her strong faith, it is not to be a sad affair. Everyone is welcome to the thanksgiving and in particular ‘the young’ who Deirdre so loved.” Please indicate if you wish to attend, purely for numbers to help with the catering by emailing Annabel at ascrimgeour@collegefields.plus.com
Tributes to Deirdre continue to pour in and the sentiments of many are captured in these words from South West BYRDS Trainer, and former South West BYRDS Rep, Claire Moir, who worked closely with Deirdre for many years: “Deirdre had a personal interest in everybody. That’s what made the South West special. All she wanted to do was help people. She got great pleasure from helping others.”
Deirdre was heavily involved in horses and top-end sport all her life as was her daughter Annabel, a former international event rider, who later supported National Hunt trainer Henrietta Knight and became an owner for UK-based New Zealand event rider Andrew Nicholson.
During her later years, Deirdre, who was a list 2 dressage judge, devoted much of her time to developing the BYRDS system in the South West. “Before I became BYRDS Rep for the South West, Deirdre and the late Elizabeth Woodward were running BYRDS within the region,” said Claire. “They had all the wheels in motion, and when I came along it was then developed along BD lines.”
“Deirdre was a marvellous lady who did everything for other people. She could talk the hind legs off a donkey,” smiled Claire, “but she would always listen. People confided in her and she never let out a confidence, she would just quietly help these people.”
Deirdre nurtured many young people through their early years of the sport, and had a wonderful bond with them – always encouraging and always positive. “'Deirdre, you started me out – you got me out,' is an overwhelming response since Deirdre passed,” said Claire. “She inspired many and saw generations right through. And it was always for other people, never for the recognition.
“Deirdre was passionate about classical principles and keeping dressage in its classical format. She was very knowledgeable and lived for dressage.”
Please visit the online portal www.posthope.org to see the many tributes to a much-loved and missed lady.