In May 2013 there was a meeting at Dorchester town hall to discuss the impending badger cull and the possibility of it coming to Dorset. All eyes were focused on the stage, were the stars of the movement against the cull – including Brian May and the head of the RSPCA – spoke. But it was in the crowd, listening quietly and unassumingly, that the real lynchpin of the group to protect Dorset’s badgers sat, she just didn’t know it yet.
Sue Chamberlain came to the very first meeting of what became Dorset for Badger and Bovine welfare and she didn’t miss a single one from that moment. In fact it was Sue who organised the meetings; setting the dates, letting people know, answering the emails, posting on facebook, circulating minutes… and that was just the beginning. We cannot overstate just how much Sue did to grow, maintain and keep the group grounded. Sue was our rock; our administrator, our merchandise queen, our fundraiser, coordinator, liaison with the authorities, the person who got things done, who made sure that when the badger cull came to Dorset that everyone knew where they needed to be in order to save as many animals as possible. Sue could be out in the field one night, and on the phone dealing with any problems that arose all the next day. Nothing was ever too much trouble, no problem was insurmountable.
This is all the more remarkable given that Sue was fighting her own private battle against cancer, and on Wednesday 13 January it became the fight she could not win and the animals and a great many people lost a true and brave friend.
Sue, we love you and miss you. Rest well, you more than earned it.
Dorset for Badger and Bovine Welfare 
My heart goes out to Sue’s family and the DBBW group who have lost a compassionate, caring and committed volunteer, who could be relied upon too keep me in touch with activities and news whilst I have been ‘up north’.
I joined Sue on a few occasions when I could…helping on the stalls across Dorset. We were last together last September and I helped her at the Bridport Hat festival. We went on the train from Dorset to the Team Badger ‘badger funeral’ in London carrying the DBBW banner. Then the day after we went shopping for food and drove it over to camp badger. I knew she was poorly and on medication then, but Sue was determined to carry on as normal, even through her tiredness. She was however, so frustrated that so few people on the email list (over 200 she told me) were responding to calls for badger patrols (they had recently started). I had travelled down to Dorset from Manchester to patrol.
I am so sad that we have lost a lady who truly and wholeheartedly gave her best for our badgers. I feel honoured to have known her and although I have unfortunately had to leave Dorset – at least for the time being – as a DBBW member I will continue to do my very best for the group in whatever way I can in memory of my dear friend. Sue was on a mission and just like our furry friends, she just dug in there and got on with it quietly and diligently with no fuss.
Rest in peace dear Sue, wherever you are. Linda Lamon.