Eileen Bune: Remembering a 'compassionate’ and 'highly respected' Cookham councillor

A memorial bench is planned to celebrate the life of a ‘dedicated’ Cookham parish councillor who was passionate about standing up for vulnerable people and challenging injustice.

Eileen Bune was born in Slough, before moving to Flackwell Heath and then to Cookham 43 years ago.

She was a member of Cookham Parish Council for a decade, having joined in 2015 representing the Cookham Rise Ward.

Eileen passed away aged 77 at the end of March after a short illness. Before her death, she lived in Strande Park mobile park home site.

The troubled Strande Park is home to a high proportion of elderly and disabled people, and Eileen was passionate about protecting its vulnerable population.

She was instrumental in providing vital information to the Advertiser about serious events taking place there over the past several years.

Civic-minded, Eileen served on various committees within Cookham Parish Council, as well as the Allotment Association and Marlow & Maidenhead Passenger Association.

She was also ‘a great family woman’, a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who was fond of cats and cared for wildlife.

Fellow Cookham parish councillor and friend Cllr Carol Aisladie remembers Eileen as a ‘supportive, kind friend and colleague.’

“She had a big heart, an even bigger smile and was the first to offer support if needed,” said Cllr Aisladie.

“Her family were her top priority, she was so proud of them all.

“We had some fun times together – she has left me special memories and will be sorely missed by many people.”

In The Cookhams Parish Magazine, chairman of the parish council, Cllr Bill Perry, announced Eileen’s death, describing it as a ‘tragic loss’ to the parish.

Cllr Perry joined Cookham Parish Council in 2019 and remembers that Eileen was ‘already a well-established figure’ there and ‘very well-liked and respected.’

He said Eileen was ‘eloquent and always convincing’ in council meetings, and generally successful in making her arguments when she backed something.

“I’ve never known Eileen lose anything on council,” said Cllr Perry.

He remembers her as a grounded, resourceful, realistic ‘but above all compassionate’ councillor.

“To her an achievement was getting wrongs righted, getting people’s voices heard, making sure everybody’s side of the question was considered,” said Cllr Perry.

She was also keen on planning matters and wanted to make sure ‘Cookham remained Cookham’ as a village and a community.

The fondness and respect her fellow councillors felt for her was matched by her neighbours and friends, in part due to her care for her community.

“Eileen was passionate about anything she saw as injustice,” Cllr Perry said.

“People were important to Eileen. She always wanted to protect the community, to look after people who had problems and to make their lives better to the maximum extent she could.”

He added: “It was in a really great pleasure when she became a friend of mine and [my wife] Jane.

“She was charming, amusing, clever, witty, and a good conversationalist – but above all, a really nice person."

The parish council has decided that it will look to install a memorial bench for Eileen, likely in the Alfred Major recreation ground.