FOND farewells were paid to an inspirational Haslemere resident who has died aged 103.

Haslemere Methodist Church minister Reverend David Muskett led a memorial service to celebrate the life of Elsie Broughton – better known as ‘Miss Elsie, who worked for more than 30 years for the Ockenden Venture at its two houses in the town (Quartermaine and Keffolds) supporting the charity’s work with refugee children as both a cook and a gardener.

Elsie came to Haslemere only a week after Keffolds opened its doors to refugees from eastern Europe as part of the Ockenden Venture’s efforts to resettle children orphaned by Nazi policies of slave labour.

Mr Muskett said: “She was known to the children as ‘Miss Elsie’ and it was a tribute to her work and popularity that some of her former charges were able to attend the service.

“She wrote a book, My Ockenden Adventure, recording her work with the charity. This led her to embrace new technology, taking computer classes in her 90s at Haslewey and subsequently joining Facebook, where she found several of ‘her children’ from Ockenden days.

Earlier in her life she had worked at the Bank of England and she joined the Land Army during the Second World War.

Elsie loved to be outdoors and her love of the natural environment was evident in her many paintings. Many people paid tribute to her during the memorial service and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”