Tribute to Carol Ewing
It is with great sadness that we are sharing this tribute to one of the longest-serving and most popular members of the GovNet family, Carol Ewing, who passed away following a short illness last month.
Carol worked at GovNet, from our Manchester office, for more than 13 years, originally starting out in sponsorship sales before transferring to Understanding ModernGov (UMG), where she quickly became the “heart and soul” of the division. During her time at the company, she also pioneered Outstanding Schools delegate sales and was very passionate about supporting international schools in the Middle East. Carol was a warm, infectious and caring individual who was absolutely brilliant at her job.
We wish to pay our own tribute to Carol by sharing some cherished memories from those who worked closely with her - those she guided, stood by through thick and thin, laughed and cried with over many, many wonderful years.
Gemma Roberts, who worked with Carol for the entirety of her time at GovNet, will remember her as the heartbeat of the Manchester office, a fantastic teacher and friend, whose caring nature and positivity were as consistent as the glamorous flash of her lipstick mirror. Carol's belief in “one for the road” was never just a call for a last drink, but another chance to create a special memory, such as “singing and dancing into the night at the Peveril of the Peak and putting our favourite songs on the jukebox”.
Ella Moore spent seven special years working alongside Carol. She reminisces about hilarious Christmas parties where Carol would dress up as Santa. Inviting people to sit on her knee and handing out presents, she would often whisper something cheeky enough to leave everyone in fits of laughter. “Carol was a prankster and used to leave poems for me and other team members and make us go red in the face reading them,” remembers Ella, “sometimes it would be a few days before she admitted it was actually from her.”
Kirsty Wylie echoes the sentiment, with cherished memories and moments of sheer joy - from struggling to take a selfie at the MEN Business Awards after several Proseccos, to spending hours in the photo booth at the GovNet Annual Conference because she couldn’t grasp how it worked. “Carol was a colleague who was more like a friend – someone who would have done anything for anyone and more,” Kirsty says.
Carol quickly made a lasting impression on Chris Clarke, inspiring him to become better at his own job. “Carol was always smashing it, and I just remember thinking to myself, I have to do exactly what she is doing. Not only that, but everybody adored her. I shadowed her as much as I could, and it proved to be a very wise decision, as I learnt so much. She was an incredible person to work with and her positivity was a breath of fresh air. Carol never moaned about anything or anyone - perhaps only when the quality of the Prosecco was not up to scratch!
“She was also fantastic friend,” Chris recalls. “She would sense when you had something on your mind, and she would go out of her way to help you.”
Carol’s fun-loving nature was intertwined with an ability to make people feel at ease. Emily Harland’s first encounter with Carol, during her interview at GovNet, was marked by a welcoming warm smile, which laid the foundation of what would become a beautiful relationship with a "true diamond of a lady". Carol's talent for seeing the best in people and her ever-present shoulder to lean on were a comfort to us all.
From day one at GovNet, Nick Dawson knew he’d made a special friend in Carol. “On my first day some 13 years ago, it was fairly customary for folk to pop to the pub on lunch for some much needed social lubrication. Not wanting to appear a misfit, I headed to the Peveril of the Peak with a few of my team. When I got to the pub there in the corner, with a smile as wide and bright as the sun and already holding a glass of prosecco, sat Carol. "Come and sit next to me" she said, in the most perfect fresh butter Irish accent, and that is where our friendship began. Carol has been such a strong shoulder for me. When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer she was so inspiring with her optimism, advice and strength, which she so freely shared. The world is a darker place without the light of Queen Carol in the world.”
Yoav Zand says Carol’s real gift was “her ability to listen, to friends, colleagues and clients alike, and as such she was hugely popular at GovNet, loved by so many. She was also someone who loved life and enjoyed it, her enthusiasm and passion infectious.”
“I was profoundly touched to hear from Carol during her illness,” continued Yoav, “and I enjoyed hearing about how she kept her little pleasures going. When her partner went to Greece and she had to stay behind, they still had dinner together daily via a video call, with her ordering in or making some Greek food for herself, pretending she's there with him. Carol really enjoyed life and knew how to live it until her last moment.”
Carol’s passing leaves a profound void in our team and our hearts, says James Tucker. “She was not just the lifeblood of our Manchester office, but a true beacon of light whose warmth and generosity knew no bounds. While we mourn her loss, we also celebrate the unforgettable mark she has left on the people she worked with.”
Her phrases - like “going for a scoop” - became more than words, they were a testament to her boundless zest for life. As we bid farewell, we raise our glasses - “one more for the road” - and celebrate Carol’s impact on us all. Her laughter, her energy, her passion for life will remain with us, always. She was indeed one in a million, and she will forever be missed.
Here's to Carol, our “Prosecco Queen”, our teacher, our friend - here's to living the good life, as she did, with joy, laughter, and a touch of sparkle.