HUNDREDS attended the funeral of one of Dorset’s most respected political and community figures yesterday.

Tributes were paid to Conservative party agent Judy Jamieson at the service at Christchurch Priory.

Approximately 350 people attended the service, including many political figures such as the Mayor of Christchurch Cllr Nick Geary. Mrs Jamieson was the Conservative party agent in Christchurch for more than three decades before passing away at the age of 66 in April, following a battle with cancer.

Christchurch MP Christopher Chope paid an emotional tribute to Mrs Jamieson at the service. Mr Chope worked alongside Mrs Jamieson in Christchurch for over 20 years.

He described Mrs Jamieson as a “perfectionist” who was “passionate about winning”. During his speech to the service, he praised Mrs Jamieson for laying the ground work for his recent election campaign, which left him with the highest percentage majority in the UK. Mr Chope ended his tribute by saying that Mrs Jamieson “still had so much more to give”.

Daily Echo and Christchurch Times editor Andy Martin also paid tribute to Mrs Jamieson with a powerful, but humorous speech to the service, reflecting on a personal and professional relationship with her that spanned 33 years.

Mr Martin said that ‘Jude’ would leave “a big gap in everyone’s lives”.

He said she was always fair and fair minded, always fearless and often fearsome in pursuit of a cause.

The service lasted just over an hour and included a recording of Lord of the Dance from Priory School children and music from the Christchurch and District band. Mrs Jamieson, who was made an MBE and was a Freeman of Christchurch, spent several decades as a governor at the Priory school and was the chairman of governors there for the last seven years.

Mrs Jamieson became a music student late in her life and following her death, the Judy Jamieson Memorial Music Foundation has been set up in her honour.

Anyone wishing to donate to the foundation can do so online at www.tapperfuneralservice.co.uk or by post to:

Tapper Funeral Service, 89/91 Barrack Road, Christchurch, BH23 2AJ.