When Mona Adams won her seat on Richmond council in south-west London last year with a massive swing from the Tories to the Lib Dems, it was in large part because of the energy and commitment she had brought to the East Sheen community over many years.

Our family had reason to be grateful to Mona for her emotional intelligence as a governor in my daughter’s school nearly 20 years ago. While there, she was subjected to serious bullying, but our formal complaint got nowhere. One of the few people in the school who came out of this sad saga with some credit was Mona. She said: “Giles, on the basis of staff confidentiality I can’t say anything to you, but I can’t stop you saying whatever you like to me.” She then listened to me for more than an hour.

When I informed my daughter about Mona’s death her look of sadness told its own tale.