Tributes have flooded in for a Scots community hero "who always had a twinkle in her eye", after she sadly lost her battle with cancer last month.
Kathy Friend, 60, from Glasgow, was involved in a number of nature-related ventures, and formerly worked as a camerawoman. She also had a stint working for Scottish Opera and even met Queen Elizabeth II.
Her sister, Lesley Kershaw, told Glasgow Live that Kathy "never went with the crowd" and was delighted with all her sister achieved.
She said: "Kathy has always been independent and always did her own thing. She was very daring and never went with the crowd. Kathy was also really funny and always had a twinkle in her eye and doing something cheeky.
"She came to Glasgow and worked for Scottish Opera for a long time. Kathy later retrained at the Scottish film school in 1988 and became one of the first women to operate the steadycam. She did all sorts of filming all over the world."
The former camerawoman, who filmed sporting events and even a trip through the Amazon, was also an avid beekeeper. Her work with The Children's Wood and Meadow would result in the construction of a unique educational tool for those looking to learn more about the honey making insects.
Lesley said: "She was a member of the Scottish Bee Association and eventually became chairwoman of the organisation as well. Kathy made her own honey and polish. She helped introduce more people on how to take care of bees.
"She called on the community to help create it, so everybody helped her build it. It has perspex covers over the hives so chldren can see the bees in action."
Lesley added: "After retiring she became a social artist and started her business hold your breath, which was set up to engage the public.
"She would get funding to create new attractive things in her community, the first one was reimaging the Clyde Tunnel. Over a period of years she spoke to the council, artists and teenagers to look at how the entrance could be made more attractive.
"Kathy got loads of sponsorship and they redesigned the front with lighting and it was a long project, which was met with a big opening. The next project she did was welcome to Whiteinch. She worked with some older people in arts workshops. They told her they were scared to leave their homes.
"So she gathered the young, old and community council together. They organised artists to come in and take the drawings from the young and old and make them into murals.
"Kathy also went onto organise an acknowledgement booth. Kathy thought acknowledgement was so important for building relationships.
"The Queen visited and took a jar of honey back with her. The Queen told Kathy that she hoped someone would take it back because she knows the household would enjoy it. It was a huge event for her.
"Kathy realised that acknowledgement in the police force was missing, so she went to the police and took this huge thrown and over many weeks and months she persuaded police to look at themselves and congragulate themselves.
"She then did it at Glasgow Central and schools. She took this booth everywhere to help people speak about what they are proud of and she gave you a medal to acknowledge you.
"It may not seem like a big thing but a lot of people don't have others acknowledge them in their life and it is a really moving experience."
After fighting breast cancer Kathy was invited to be a part of the Commonwealth Games handover group in Delhi. Upon returning she wanted to make sure that everyone managed to get a taste of the historic games.
Her sister said: "The Commonwealth Games was a big expensive event but she wanted the locals to be part of that but she knew tickets were expensive.
"She mixed all the communities from every background together and asked them to think of their individual games and ask them to bring them to the streets, calling it the Gallus games. She created these local games all across Glasgow on the run up to the Commonwealth Games."
Lesley added: "Kathy loved Glasgow so much. She was a vibrant, formidable woman in every aspect of her life and if she thought that Glasgow could benefit from something she would not leave a stone unturned until it's achieved."
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