Muriel Agnew

YOU’LL have heard of Muriel Agnew but, just in case anybody has forgotten her name, let’s keep saying it and keep remembering her.

A plaque was put up to her on the Mozart estate in Paddington where she had lived for decades and strived to make life better for everybody. The Mozart had a not unfair reputation for teenage feuds often fuelled by disputes over drugs.

Rather than despair and move away, Muriel campaigned for changes with such gusto that she was recognised with an MBE. She had founded a residents’ association by going door to door, and helped set up the Avenues youth centre.

Her battles often saw her square up to Dame Shirley Porter, the later-disgraced leader of the council.

Safety was improved by reordering what had been a maze of walkways on which people felt unsafe, and troublemakers used as escape routes.

Sadly she died, at 90, in 2010 soon after many of the long-awaited changes were complete.

She left us with a dictionary definition of a neighbourhood champion.