Angi Naylor was a rare kind of social worker one whose practice was inseparable from her deep commitment to social justice. She believed that compassion was a form of courage, and she lived that belief every day. Whether she was challenging injustice or mentoring colleagues, Angi led with heart, integrity, and conviction.
Her activism was never performative; it was grounded in empathy and shaped by action. She had that rare ability to make people feel seen, to remind them of their worth and power. Angi was fearless, steadfast and generous. She gave her time freely, her laughter easily, and her wisdom quietly, without ever asking for recognition.
Those who knew her will remember the warmth she brought into every space, the way she lifted others’ spirits even while carrying so much herself. Her legacy is one of justice, dignity, and care not written in titles or awards, but in the lives she touched. Angi’s light endures in the work she inspired, and in all who continue to walk the path she helped to clear.
To Angi
From Yorkshire’s steadfast ground
your courage was forged,
like iron shaped by struggle, like coal carved from the deep.
A social worker, true union stalwart, you stood where others faltered, voice unshaken,
feet marching a hundred miles against the cold cruelty of austerity.
You carried our union banner, gathered stories, the untold, the unheard, woven into your songs,
lifted into the streets, so justice could not be ignored.
Activist, campaigner, friend to many, you remind us that solidarity is not a word but a way of living, and that human rights are not granted, they are walked for, sung for, fought for.
Angi Naylor inspiration,
your courage is a lantern we follow, your laughter, a shelter we share. In every step we take together, your flame still leads our way.
“I’m gonna sing you a song…”
Allison Hulmes