Government Social Research
Ros Lynch writes: Jessica Cox, team leader of the Performance Analysis team in the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, has died following a long illness. News of her death came as a shock to us all.
Jessica joined the Department in 2001 and spent the time leading up to her illness working on analysing the performance of local authorities against the six neighbourhood renewal floor targets. This was vitally important in helping the Department to measure progress towards the Government's vision of narrowing the gap between the most deprived areas and the rest of the country. This was a vision which she shared.
Jessica had a dry sense of humour and fantastic intellect. Sitting near her one could not help but laugh at her comments on, and responses to, the people and circumstances she encountered on a daily basis. She had a fabulous social life, which was the envy of all her colleagues in the division. One of her many achievements was to purchase a bar in Spain and while few of us got the chance to visit it, we all looked forward to the treats which she brought back each time she went over to check on progress. Her love for her family and especially her new nephew was also shared freely with colleagues.
Jessica was a wonderful friend and colleague to many in the Department and she is greatly missed.