Ex-mayoress dies, aged 73

Julia Wyles-Randall, 73, from Barons Down, Lewes, was the wife of three-time mayor Cllr Jim Daly and a former nurse at St Francis Hospital in Haywards Heath and Lewes Prison Hospital. She also worked for East Sussex County Council social services at Ringmer. In her retirement she worked for the Martletts Hospice charity shop in Lewes and helped to set up a branch of Cancer Research in Lewes, and was also a volunteer at the House of Friendship on School Hill. Cllr Daly said: 'She had a lot of get up and go and she enjoyed life. 'She had sense of humour and didn't like being indoors too often. 'Julia really liked being the mayoress and in 1996, during my first stint as a mayor, we went to 400 events in one year!' The mayor and mayoress also made several trips overseas, including visits to Lewes's French and German twin towns, Blois and Waldshut- Tiengen, and also Lewes, Delaware, in the USA. Julia, who was born in Croydon, enjoyed walking on the Downs and was a keen member of Lewes Footpath Group and a National Trust member for 40 years. Former mayor Maureen Messer, who worked with her at the House of Friendship, a day centre for older people on School Hill, paid tribute to Julia. She said: 'She was kind, helpful and very energetic. 'She was a great friend to all of us and she worked for years with the elderly. 'Julia was a good sport and joined in with everything we did at the House of Friendship.' Tributes can be left below: