Christine Garbutt

My friend Christine Garbutt, who has died aged 69, was a popular and well-known personality in Highgate, north London, where she had lived all her life. She was a journalist on the Daily Mirror and worked tirelessly for local charities. The daughter of Sunday Express journalist, Jack Garbutt, she began her own career on a local paper, went freelance while raising her family, and ended up working full-time at the Daily Mirror, where her versatility granted her all manner of roles, ranging from sports columnist to feature writer and investigative reporter. It was entirely predictable that she was able to slaughter most of her colleagues at the poker table, and it was her prowess in this context that afforded her, among other things, a free parking space at the office and a respectful mention in Private Eye.

Christine could turn her hand to anything: she played golf and won trophies, bet on horses and backed winners, and in her later years took part in a duathlon on Hampstead Heath for the charity, Children with Leukaemia. Never mind that it took her the best part of a day to complete. She was tireless in her energy, unwavering in her convictions, and never afraid to take on something new, often with an ability that was as disturbing as it was inspiring.

I will remember her most of all for her personal qualities: her kindness, courage, integrity, and wisdom. She had a wicked wit, loved a good gossip, and would talk to anyone - charming their socks off, challenging their views, and having them in stitches. Vibrant and bright as she was, Christine suffered a lot in her later years, but she would always emerge fighting, ready to embrace an old or new cause.

She is survived by her three children Mark, Nick, and Lucy, and her brother.