TRIBUTES have been paid to much-loved community figure Julie Gary.

Julie was the community champion at Asda in Brighton Way, Basingstoke and devoted her time to helping charitable causes.

She died on New Year’s Day after a stroke earlier in December.

One of the people who Julie knew well was mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Councillor Jane Frankum, who said: “It’s difficult to find the words to describe Julie.

“She never judged anyone and was always there for anybody.

It’s so sad, so many people will miss her so much. It was a real privilege to know and have her as a friend, she was a piece of sunshine in a sometimes uncertain world.”

Julie received the Mayor’s Award in 2015, for all her charity and community work, and the award was presented by the then mayor Cllr Roger Gardiner.

Founder of Sporting Footprints, a charity that Julie helped fundraise for, Tony Hart, said: “Julie was one of the kindest people you could meet and nothing was ever too much trouble for her.

“She helped out at our very first fundraiser, over four years ago and insisted on helping out every year since, bringing along her husband Nigel or her daughter Natalie to help too.

“Julie found time to help lots of charities and her big smile and kind heart will be missed by a lot of people.”

Part of Julie’s job as community champion involved looking after the charity donation scheme where shoppers put in tokens to decide how much went to each of the three nominated charities.

Peter Robson, a trustee of Basingstoke Neighbourcare, said: “We at NeighbourCare were extremely sad to hear about the sudden death of Julie Gary.

“As the Asda Brighton Hill community life champion, Julie was so helpful in giving us a turn in the token scheme and at all times was so approachable, nothing was too much trouble, a very kind hearted lady.”

A book of condolences has been left at Asda for people to leave a tribute. The funeral will take place on January 18 at 3.30pm at Basingstoke Crematorium.

The family have asked for family flowers only and bright colours to be worn, with suggested donations to Stroke UK, Sebastian’s Action Trust or Helping Hands for the Blind, or visit justgiving/ natalie-gary.