LDSG annual report: a true and compassionate fighter

Caroline White, Chair of the London Detainee Support Group, ends the 2006/07 report by referring to:

"... the sudden and tragic death of a great favourite of staff, volunteers and detainees, Ester Gluck. Her family attended a memorial gathering we organized to celebrate her life and to remember Ester as we all knew her — a true and compassionate fighter for those whose lives are much less comfortable than our own."

Ester Gluck, 1982-2006
The sudden and untimely death in September 2006 of our colleague Ester Gluck was a great shock to all who knew her. Ester was heavily involved with LDSG for over two years as a volunteer and staff member.

She began to volunteer with LDSG in Autumn 2004, working one day per week in the office and visiting a detainee another day. As office volunteer, she covered the detainee freephone, and invariably dominated one end of our cramped and somewhat chaotic former offices on Holloway Road. From the start, she regularly had to be cajoled into finishing a telephone conversation with a detainee as we tried to close the office at the end of the day. She had an uncanny ear to be able to communicate with every client in exactly their own register, and visited many of our most lost and disorientated clients.

In her ten months as a staff member, Ester extended her formidable skills to supporting volunteers. She was as endlessly patient and supportive of all the volunteers she supervised, as she was furiously intolerant of hypocrisy wherever she encountered it.

Ester was an extraordinary human being. Her irresistible passion and commitment, and truly exceptional ability to communicate with even the most distressed and damaged clients, influenced all she worked with. The depth of feeling throughout the organisation was clear at the memorial event we organised, which was attended by members of Ester’s family, and from the many tributes from volunteers and clients. She is greatly missed.

Aisha Phoenix: The Purple Princess at Parly

During "Ester's Walks of Life", 9 September 2007, a film of Ester singing Ebony and Ivory was shown. Then Aisha introduced and read her poem Irresistible Smile, which refers to Ester singing Ebony and Ivory (see Aisha's post below, dated 20 April 2007).

The Purple Princess at Parly

I started at Parliament Hill Girls in Year 8 just before Ester joined. We were both placed in Ms Youlton's form group. Ester with her strong convictions, great sense of humour and passion for acting and singing, fitted in easily and was welcomed into the creative "in" crowd. Her talents meant the Purple Princess often performed at school events ranging from plays, musicals and choir evenings to orchestra concerts. I remember acting in the Jean Anouilh version of the play Antigone in summer 1995 alongside Ester *. I can hear her laughter during orchestra practice, oboe on her lap, as I sat with my squeaky violin and I also hear her voice standing out in choir practice. But most of all I see the twinkle in her eyes and her smile all around.

* Aisha has found a ticket, saying it was at 7 pm on Thursday 29 June 1995 in the New Hall. £1 adults, £0.50 children.