7 June 1940 – 25 May 2008

Val Price was one of the principal reasons why, when Labour was elected to Government in 1997, over 100 of its MPs were women. She worked tirelessly over the years leading up to that election, and continued until her death, supporting and nurturing women in the Labour Party who were putting themselves forward for selection as parliamentary candidates and then for election as MPs. Val's achievement grew over the years as more of those women won ministerial office, grateful for the encouragement and practical help she had given them at the start of their careers.

In her work for Labour Women's Network and Emily's List UK, Val provided advice, training and mentoring to women aspiring to enter the bear garden of politics at Westminster. Her influence also spread to Scotland and Wales, especially in the first elections for the devolved parliaments, when gender equality was being established as the basis for selection. Val’s contribution was the sheer hard grind of politics, unglamorous and frequently unrewarded.

But her advice was firmly grounded in personal knowledge and experience: since joining in 1964, she had held almost every position in the Labour Party at both local and regional level; had been a Labour Councillor in Windsor; and twice stood for election to Parliament in Windsor and Maidenhead in 1979 and 1983. Added to all of that, she had the ability to make Labour politics sociable and fun.

But hugely important though this work was, it was only a small part of what she achieved in her immensely productive life. In a materialistic and mercenary society, all Val's contributions were made as a volunteer. In 1977, she established a refuge for battered women and their children. She was on a 24 hour rota, taking phone calls and rescuing women at night, on one occasion even delivering a baby.

When she and her much loved husband, Fred, moved to the village of Oaksey in Wiltshire to "retire", Val quickly became a mainstay of village life. She led the fund-raising to rebuild the village hall and organised the official opening in September 2000 by The Prince of Wales.

Val was also instrumental in retaining the village shop and post office and taking them into community ownership. When the shop was without a tenant for two months in 1998, she kept it open until she found a successor. She was editor of the Parish Newsletter, and created and maintained the village's website. To raise money for both the parish church and village hall, Val and Fred produced and designed the Oaksey Cook Book.

Politics, community and family were central to Val Price. Her whole life was focused on making the world a better place, and there are few people who can look back on a life as selflessly lived as hers.

Val is survived by her husband, daughter Juliet, son David and four grandchildren.

– Hilary De Lyon