Alison Dutton

I am very sad to have to inform those of you who knew her of the recent death of Alison Dutton.

Alison joined INPP in the 1990’s, initially as a part-time secretary in a new job share initiative.  Over the years, she became far more than this.

The early 1990’s was a time before digitalisation was the accepted norm.  All correspondence was written using a word processor; overseas connections were made via fax and all appointments were made by telephone or letter.  The secretary’s office was little more than a cupboard space at the back of the building but the receptionist was the gateway to INPP. 

She was also a listener being as much a confidante to those working at INPP as therapists were to the families and adults that we worked with.    As party to the politics of the inner workings of the organisation she quietly and deftly dealt with what needed to be done, neither judging nor questioning the decisions that had to be made.  Listening was as much a force for change as expressing an opinion.

When Peter became critically ill for the first time in 2000, although she had taken a break from working for INPP she was at his bedside and returned to support INPP at its time of greatest crisis.  For the next fifteen years she continued to provide holiday and sick cover whenever one of the younger generation was not available and to help organise the INPP European conferences.  While her primary role was to ensure the smooth running of INPP in Chester, her less visible role in supporting the development of the INPP method internationally and me personally was invaluable. 

She will be greatly missed.

• Sally Goddard Blythe