It is with great sadness – and an immense sense of loss – that we inform our friends and supporters that our wonderful Chairperson, Paula Sparks, passed away on the 30th of May 2025. Over the past 15 months, Paula’s daily life was increasingly affected by the symptoms of motor neurone disease. Despite this, she continued, for many of those months, to guide and contribute to our charity’s work. Unfortunately, the disease progressed in her with cruel rapidity. In the end, her discomfort became unbearable. She passed away very peacefully in a hospice and we are grateful that she will suffer no more.
 
Paula’s contributions to our organisation, to animal protection, and to law and justice more broadly, have been massive. She was one of our founders, and she did more than anyone to advance the charity’s work, giving many thousands of hours of her time, unpaid and never seeking any recognition or reward. Prior to leading us, she had already made huge contributions to law and justice,  both as a sought-after barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, and at Action for Victims of Medical Accidents. She was selfless; her priorities in life were always her family and working to help others (be they humans or other animals).
 
Paula was a truly remarkable person. She was suffused with compassion, whilst also retaining the ability to be strategic and objective that made her also an excellent lawyer.  She had a passion for justice, and was especially tenacious when fighting, at inquests or inquiries, for victims of medical negligence or failures by public bodies that were seeking to cover up their mistakes. She then brought the same passion to reducing the suffering of animals; she had deep compassion for every living creature, which manifested in the way she lived her life as well as in her work. She is the only person I have ever had the honour of knowing well over many years whom I can say was unfailingly kind to everyone and in every situation. To those of us who worked closely with her, she was not only admired and respected but also deeply loved. She was hard-working, utterly committed, and incredibly self-effacing and humble. To many of us, she was a true and loyal friend, in good times and bad.
 
The trustees and staff of ALAW are in grief for the loss of our leader and dear friend. But our loss is as nothing to that of Paula’s husband and her lovely daughters, who have borne the past 15 months with great courage and through whom Paula’s compassion and values live on; our hearts go out to them. We will never forget you, Paula. We are grieving for you now, but out of that grief will grow our determination to seek to live more kindly and compassionately, and to continue the work that was so important to you.
 
We thank our members and supporters for bearing with us as we navigate this difficult period. We are determined that this charity will emerge from it stronger, to continue our work with greater vigour as a fitting legacy to all that Paula stood for and achieved.
 
Alan Bates, Acting Chair