Winifred Lawes, who has died at 87, was a woman who "dedicated her life to supporting the success and happiness of others".

Mrs Lawes died at her home in Oxford Road, Littlemore, after a long battle with breast cancer.

She moved to the village at the age of six, and became a key part of the Littlemore Baptist Church, remaining an active member of the congregation until her death on August 25.

In recent years, Win — as she was widely known — championed a community website and advocated the building of flats for homeless people on the current site of the church — a project now underway.

Her niece and carer, Pauline Willis, said: "As a figure in the community she was very well known because she was the sort of person who held parts of the community together. People learnt to rely on her and confide in her. She was a sort of social worker before social services was invented.

"When she was younger the village was very intolerant of diversity, but she brought a sense of tolerance of different people and different ideas."

A natural with children, Mrs Lawes was identified as a potential school teacher at an early age, but decided to devote her life to caring for her family and others.

Married to Ted, who passed away in the 1980s, Mrs Lawes was childless, but focused her love on those of her brothers and friends.

Ms Willis added: "Over the years, many have benefited both from her skills in early childhood instruction and with older children in framing the kind of questions that lead the mind to explore places that it might not otherwise have ventured.

"There are many in the village who appreciated her life, which was dedicated to supporting the success and happiness of others." A way of life that set the foundation stone for the success of many, both in Win's family and also the wider Littlemore community."

Mrs Lawes was cremated at Oxford Crematorium last week.