Thank you to our patron Margaret Fingerhut for raising funds for Oasis of Peace through the superb concert, held on June 16th at Alyth Gardens, in memory of her mother Beatrice who was a loyal supporter of our work.

Beatrice was born into an East End family in 1921. Family circumstances meant she was unable to pursue the university education she dreamed of, having to go straight into an office job after she finished school. However, she then studied at night school and qualified as a chartered accountant, becoming the first woman in the UK to achieve a distinction in her exams. She met and married John Fingerhut in 1950 and they had four children. She carried on working as an accountant for a number of years, latterly volunteering at CAB as a specialist accountant adviser.

Throughout her life she was tirelessly committed to a number of charitable causes and to the local community, always selflessly devoted to the needs and concerns of others. Beatrice was wonderfully hospitable and welcoming to everyone, whatever their creed, race or colour. She was a de facto mediator, always trying to heal rifts and disagreements. It was therefore a natural fit for her to become a supporter of Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam and its School for Peace, and she was an enthusiastic advocate for its ethos and ideals for many years.