Tributes have been paid to an “excellent, kind and diligent” former district councillor Helen Molyneux who has died aged 82.

The former Independent and Conservative councillor for Tidenham “excelled helping care homes during the coronavirus pandemic”.

The Forest Council held a minute’s silence at its meeting on July 24 before Independent group leader Philip Burford (Ind, Hartpury and Redmarley) led the tributes.

He said “She was a wonderful example to us all about what being a councillor is all about,” he said.

“She was absolutely passionate about the people that she was working for, and that wasn’t only within her own ward.”

“She was the old folks champion of the district,” he said.

“She was a great person, a great personality, a great lady, an excellent councillor, and she’ll be sadly missed and.

“All our condolences go out to her family, and particularly the members of her family that we know, Patrick (a former leader of the council), who has of course been here for many years.”

Conservative councillor for Tidenham Nick Evans said: “She also did a great deal of work for the aged in the Forest as well, and did a really fantastic amount of work trying to raise money for charity but also making sure that they were operating as well as they possibly could.

“Helen always had a smile on her face, whenever you would talk to her, she was absolutely lovely.

Former council leader Tim Gwilliam (Progressive Independents, Berry Hil) during the coronavirus pandemic.she was diligent in giving him updates.

“She called every care home in the Forest checking that they had the right personal protective equipment, checking that they were being treated correctly.

“That will stay with me forever because she did it every week. If she missed me on a Friday night, she would phone on a Saturday morning with an update.

“She was a really good councillor, but she was a much better person.”

Cllr Chris McFarling (Green, St Briavels) said she was a voice of sanity, a wise and compassionate person.

“I joined her on a couple of occasions when she helped serve hot meals to senior citizens in her role as their member champion.

“During the pandemic, she excelled. In our conversations, party politics never came up.

“She was a good councillor, an honest councillor and a friend. She made a real difference to the community she served, and we send our deepest consolation to her family and friends.”

Chairman Di Martin (Lab, Cindeford East) said: “Her humanity, her kindness and caring persona will stay with me, and I will definitely be representing the council at her funeral.”

Her son, Patrick, said after the meeting his family was touched by the tributes.

“The entire family were very moved by some of the things that were said,” he said.

“I’ve messaged Di Martin and asked her to thank the councillors for their kind words.”

Her funeral service will take place on Tuesday, July 29 at 11am at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Bulwark.