Sara, who died on the 21st of April, was a founder member of Talking Allowed in Leeds (TAiL). Indeed it was Sara who coined the name of our discussion group, a nod to the BBC Radio 4 programme Thinking Allowed, hosted by Laurie Taylor.
Sara set up home in Leeds in 2010 with her partner Joseph with an intention of exploring its cultural and intellectual possibilities. Among other activities they joined a writing group, attended meetings of the Café Philosophique in Chapel Allerton and came to a Bloomsday celebration in Whitelocks pub. Joseph was active in Philosophy in Pubs (PiPs) groups on Merseyside and he and Sara were keen to start an associated group in Leeds. The inaugural meeting of TAiL was held in Veritas in Gt. George Street in November 2010 and was the subject of a report in the Yorkshire Post. Another group holding meetings in the evening was attempted in Chapel Allerton in The Mustard Pot but only lasted for two sessions. Sara’s intuition that such a group was possible was borne out when the Headingley PiPs group started up in December 2015 and ran for several years.
Sara was from a Jewish family and she had to overcome disapproval when she married Glyn Richards. Sara had two children with Glyn, both of whom have made careers in music. Glyn died in 2004. Joseph had also suffered the loss of his wife, Brenda, in 2002. He and Sara met in an online bereavement group, and married in 2006.
Joseph had family commitments in Wallasey and he and Sara moved there permanently late in 2014. Sara enjoyed her walks on the sea front in Wallasey and found craft groups where she could share her enthusiasm for sewing.
TAiL continued meeting monthly all the way through to lockdown in 2020 when Veritas closed its doors. Some of the regular members carried on their discussion in weekly Zoom meetings. Since there were no geographical constraints in meeting online Joseph was able to participate once more. Sara didn’t join in the discussions to the same extent but she was often in the room with Joseph and listening in. She sometimes made pointed and relevant interventions from the sidelines which were greatly appreciated by the other participants.
Our sympathies are extended to Joseph and to Sara’s children Abigail and Cristan.
Talking Allowed in Leeds 