Page 10 - Community Living Magazine 34-3

obituary

Rosemary Trustam: a remarkable, driven advocate

As we went to press with the last issue, we received the sad news that our publisher Rose
Trustam had died. Community Living founder and former editor Elinor Harbridge recalls the life
of a renowned fighter for the rights of people with learning disabilities

lthough I knew Rose had been “The values of Integrate are Rose’s
suffering from lung cancer for legacy – from the beginning, her
Aseveral years, it was still a shock determination and beliefs that there could
when I got the news she had died. be, indeed there was, something better
She had been working as though for people with learning disabilities than
nothing was wrong for so long that I had institutional living – their own homes in
almost forgotten she was ill. I’m told she ordinary streets, their own front door, the
was even emailing about people with key to their own home and the same life
learning disabilities from her hospital bed opportunities as other members of the
the day before she died. community, playing active roles in their
local neighbourhoods,” she says.
Groundbreaking beginnings Jo Adshead, who has taken over as
To understand Rose’s strong commitment Community Living publisher while
to people with learning disabilities, we continuing in her role as chief executive of
need to go back to the 1970s when a Linkability, spoke movingly about Rose at
group of people in the north west set up a her funeral in January.
charity to give people coming out of “She captured the imaginations of so
long-stay hospitals their own homes in the many of us, including me. She engaged us
community. At the time, there was no all from her networks and friendships,
model for this initiative for adults – it was people who need support, professionals,
really groundbreaking. parents and family members – all of us
The group included activists David Rosemary Trustam: a pioneer campaigner for life with different motivations, skills,
and Althea Brandon. The charity was opportunities and ordinary homes for those with knowledge and passions all for different
called Integrate and it strived to live up to learning disabilities reasons. Her enthusiasm was infectious.”
its name by being truly committed to Rose and I worked together more or
people being part of their community as several years under the direction of less affably though we had our moments
equal citizens. Elfrida’s then chief executive, Seán Kelly. – notably when we disagreed about the
Rose was its first appointment as When Elfrida found it could no longer use of the subjunctive. But I am sure
chief executive. Althea says: “Rosemary support the magazine, there was real Community Living would not have
was the outstanding candidate and she concern about its future. survived without her input. As well as all
proved an inspired choice. I admired the But then Rose, who had joined the her vast knowledge, she invested both her
way she combined boldness with a editorial board a few months earlier, came time and her own money in it.
sensible approach.” to its rescue, pulling together two Although the term “workaholic” truly
Rose seized the opportunity this gave charities, Integrate and Linkability, to join did describe her, she was not all about
her to put into practice all the principles its existing sponsor Three Cs to form a work. She had many friends with whom
she had followed during her career as a charity dedicated to publishing the she enjoyed visits to European cities, and
social worker. magazine, CL Initiatives. (They were later she often travelled with a group of old
David and Rosemary were linked by not joined by Respond and the Westminster school friends who met up every year.
just the values they shared but also the Society.) This was another example of Seán, who is a member of the
challenges they took up. David, who died Rose’s capacity to recognise a need and to magazine’s editorial board, says: “I think
in 2001, was a fierce advocate on behalf take action to address it. of her as confident, cheerful and deeply
of both people with learning disabilities Elfrida continued to support the committed with an underlying optimism
and those with mental health problems. magazine both editorially and by providing despite a necessary layer of cynicism
He was the first editor of Community premises for meetings (later provided by about some of the less progressive actions
Living when it was launched in 1987. Rose Respond in London). Under its current of commissioners.
became its publisher in 2011 at a difficult editor, Simon Jarrett, and a committed “Rose was a wonderful, remarkable
time for the magazine. The role presented board of trustees, the magazine now looks woman. Her impact on the world of
Rose with another opportunity to put her forward to a stronger future. learning disabilities was incalculable.”
values and experience into practice. If she is enjoying an afterlife somewhere
Since I launched the magazine, it has Legacy (hopefully with her beloved husband
gone through many ups and downs, Sue Pemberton, who took over as chief Bruce who died suddenly and tragically at
surviving mainly due to the support of its executive of Integrate on Rose’s retirement, the age of 49), I am sure she will be
loyal readers and charity sponsors. Elfrida expresses warm appreciation of the tapping away on her tablet from which
purchased it in 2005 and it flourished for influence she had on the organisation. she was inseparable. n

10 Vol 34 No 3 | Spring 2021 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk