“Up from thy prison ascend unto the glorious meads above, and from thy mortal cage wing thy flight unto the paradise of the Placeless.”

Denis Perren, Aylesbury
Denis Perren was born in London. His family were devoted Christians and Denis joined them as an active member of the Methodist church. He met his wife Margaret at church youth meetings. In the late 1970s, they heard of the Faith from friends who were attending firesides in Aylesbury. Although their friends did not become Bahá’ís, the Perrens were immediately attracted. They became dedicated and active believers, hosting many meetings and activities in their home. Denis was an irrepressible teacher of the Faith, giving talks in schools, speaking to everyone and anyone he met. He had a generous spirit. The day before he passed away, he had taken a neighbour to make a hospital visit and had spent the time, talking and cheering up the patients in the ward. He died suddenly from an unexpected heart attack at the age of 74. He will be remembered as a gregarious, outgoing and eternally optimistic soul of great integrity, kindness and steadfastness.

John Southwell, Liverpool
John Southwell recognised Bahá’u’lláh about nine years ago, progressing from being an atheist, to an agnostic, to a Bahá’í. He had been a lifelong activist and was involved with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and Friends of the Earth. After his declaration, he often called upon the Bahá’í community to be pro-active in solving many of Liverpool’s pressing community issues. John devoted one day each week to cleaning the Liverpool Bahá’í Centre. He also stayed back after all Feasts, Holy Days, and other functions, clearing up and vacuuming until around midnight. He turned up at every institute and conference held at the Centre to give a hand with serving the participants and the cleaning. The Liverpool friends knew that John must be ill when he failed to turn up at the Centre for one of his Wednesday sessions during November last year. He was diagnosed with cancer of the liver but still attended all activities until he could barely walk and was admitted to hospital. John was an extremely intelligent man and could hold a conversation with anyone on any subject. His selfless attitude to achieving excellence in service was exemplary.

Antonia Swinbourne, Newport
Antonia Swinbourne first heard of the Faith from her sister Joanne, who had become a Bahá’í in Canada. Although originally from Newport, both sisters lived for many years in the Virgin Islands, later returning to become members of the Bahá’í community in Wales. Antonia had a great passion for life and devoted her time to assisting people in need who deeply appreciated her great compassion and empathy. She went back to university to study Counselling and International Affairs and had only recently begun working with people with special needs. She died suddenly at the age of 36 from a brain haemorrhage. Around 500 people attended her funeral – a testimony to the love she inspired in others. She is survived by her beloved nine year old son, Josh.

Pat Pathan, Lambeth
Born in Mauritius, Mr Pat Pathan was an ardent believer who persevered valiantly in his service to the Cause despite poor health brought on by a stroke some 12 years ago. Pat’s deep love for the Faith and its Central Figures found expression through his devotion to local community life, his affection for children, and his regular, sacrificial gifts to the Funds of the Faith. Pat had a phenomenal memory. Before his stroke, he was able to recite all the Hidden Words by heart, along with the Fire Tablet, the Tablet of Ahmad and many other prayers and Writings. Though intensely frustrated by his condition after the stroke, he continued to provide the warm and loving heart to the Lambeth community and prayed several times a day, every day, for the growth of the Faith in the borough and the well-being of the friends. He died unexpectedly, just two days after spending a last, joyful time with the community at its Local Spiritual Assembly election on the first day of Ridván.

Gaenor Carter, Chelwood Gate
Welsh-born Gaenor Carter, who died aged 67, was a kind and friendly woman who selflessly volunteered her services to the Cause. She followed her husband, the painter Ken Carter, into the Faith and became an active believer in Sussex, assisting with library and office duties when the National Sub-Office was based at Esslemont House in Uckfield, and giving her time to looking after the garden. A school librarian by profession, Gaenor often arranged Bahá’í speakers to address the pupils at school assembly and was well respected by her colleagues. She was a devoted mother and grandmother who will be remembered for her radiant spirit and devotion to her family and the Faith.

Stewart Macleod, Bristol
Stewart Macleod was working in a Bristol bakery in 1974 when he was impressed by the character of an Iranian colleague. The colleague told him about the Faith which Stewart embraced, leading his own mother into the Cause two years later. Stewart was a gentle, kind man who loved Bahá’u’lláh deeply. He passed away aged 56.