When I think of Maria, I always remember how proud she was of Wales, especially after sporting events. On Monday morning after the Welsh team had done well, Maria would bustle into the office and usually without sitting down would say ‘I must have a word with so and so’ (almost inevitably an England supporter) and pop over to the other side of the room. Unless of course it was after a Wales/Ireland match in the 6 nations rugby when she didn’t need to go anywhere as that only required a few comments across the desks on a diagonal to which there was usually a robust response. Those of us who didn’t consider it a matter of life or death just kept our heads down to avoid the crossfire!
 
I sat next to Maria for many years, through good times and the more difficult and she was always a great support and unfailingly cheerful. Thank you for that.