Tributes paid to highly respected Peterborough woman at the forefront of city's award-winning Skills Service

Sue Addison, who was the lead officer for the pioneering Skills Service at the city's economic development company Opportunity Peterborough, has died at the age of 58 years.

She passed away on September 4 after being diagnosed with cancer last year.

The mother of two, who was known to many people across Peterborough, including numerous business and education leaders, had lead the Skills Service for the last seven years and prior to that had worked tirelessly with Business Link and the Learning & Skills Council.

Over the years, Sue transformed how companies, schools and young people interacted, developed a service that won international awards and delivered a regional Careers

Show - Mission Possible -- for thousands of young people each year.

One of her highlights was going to Norway in 2016 to receive the Gold Global Best Award for the Skills Service's work to inspire young people to choose Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and to pursue careers in STEM fields.

Steve Bowyer, chief executive at Opportunity Peterborough, said: "Sue's work in inspiring not only young people in their career choices, but also local businesses to engage with their workforce of the future, was exceptional.

"She had an aspirational vision and genuine passion, and was a fantastic colleague to work with."

He said Sue was a highly respected and much loved colleague.

He added: "She'll be a great loss to Opportunity Peterborough, the city and wider region too."

Sue had stepped down from her role earlier this year to focus on her health but still continued to support the team in their activities on both a personal and professional level.

Her funeral will be held on September 21 at Peterborough Crematorium at 4pm.

She leaves a partner, Robert, two daughters, Rebecca and Lucy, and two grandsons, Alfie and Sam.

If people would like to honour her memory, donations can be made to the Sue Ryder Foundation at Thorpe Hall, where Sue spent some of her last days, or to Cancer Research.