a few words from David Parker

On Tuesday last week, on the very night we had a Breathwork Group, a power cut in the area affecting, shops, a pub and residences including three 20 storey tower blocks, went out. I wasn’t sure what to do, it was 4pm, we start at 7pm, how long would it last? . .  in fact it lasted 10 hours. Even though it was light outside, I still set about finding every moroccan tea light glass I had so we could have group, as the gloomy weather lent no light to proceedings. People arrived, including Lee, but universally known as ‘Peggy’. He used to run a pub, and being gay, he was bestowed this name, the same one as Babs Windsor playing Peggy Mitchell in Eastenders. His familiar bellow “Get Outa Ma Pub” was legendary, fierce and final.

Anyway he bounced in, a bit late, flustered, “what a bloody day!” arms waving, laughing, and took his place in a group he loved attending, “I come here for the social aspect, as much for the rebirthing breathwork, talking to people, getting into discussion with like-minds, he would often say, knowing there was no holding back on feelings or effing and blinding. We live in urban London, we speak as we find, no ‘hippie shit’, as some think, or ‘best behaviour’ going on.

Tell it like it is. And he did.

I’d met Lee before, but he first attended our Monthly One Day Sunday Seminars in Victoria, eighteen months ago, and when we switched to Evening Groups ( now 3 a month ), he often forgot the dates, so he began to put up on Facebook the chalk board in his kitchen, to tell me he hadn’t forgotten.  

After the Breathe, we sat round in darkness, with just tea lights in glasses and Lee posted on Facebook the next morning : 

Lee Anderson : Peggy loved it by candlelight! 22 June at 08:54

We responded on Facebook everyday to each other especially over politics, last summer we both went to Camden Town Hall to hear Jeremy Corbyn, ( really to see Owen Jones in the flesh, we laughed ) and on Friday of last week we both FUMED over BREXIT as we both embrace a social conscience. He was with me when I took that photo of 3 teenagers looking into the window, after Corbyn’s rally, that went viral on global social media. Best memory to have of me and her.

Lee had worked at KIDS COMPANY for 5 years, with children and teenagers all living in harrowing difficult circumstances. His open hearted generosity healed unforgivable experiences, and the new job working with the charity recently set up by COLDPLAY & the John Frieda Company allowed him to continue in this role, using his creative talents ( holding a Degree in Printmaking for starters ), playing the fool, making kids laugh, and encouraging higher esteem in those kids unable to see the light of love. The authenticity he employed with kids he brought to our group, the quest for understanding with childhood enthusiasm, curiosity and a desire for deeper personal development. He loved me with a passion, always calling me Nana, and I adored and loved him back. My heart is smashed with his death.

I know some of his dear friends referred to him as Edina Monsoon on Facebook with his ‘re-birthing classes’ (as he often posted about it on Facebook), but they were not far wrong – Peggy was truly, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.

Urban LIFECLASS will certainly miss his raucous laughter, old school camperama, diligence in finding himself and self sacrifice in unconditionally helping others. The lights have disappeared from our lives with Lee’s sad cardiac arrest last Sunday, but those tea glasses in every future Breathwork group will shine on, in each and every BREATHE we have.

Together we mourn, collectively we love. ❤️ #takeaBREATH