Patricia Bagot, OBE

Born: 6 October, 1942, in Bo'ness.

Died: 28 January, 2007, in Edinburgh, aged 64.

THE housing profession in Scotland has lost one of its leading lights and most colourful of characters with the sudden death of Pat Bagot.

Pat was born the only daughter of Captain Arthur Bagot, MC, and Mary Bagot. She was educated at Leith Academy, Edinburgh and, from 1954, at Mary Erskine School for Girls, Edinburgh. She obtained an MA in psychology and philosophy from the University of Edinburgh and a Diploma in Sociological Studies from Sheffield University.

Pat began her career as a child care officer for the Midlothian, East Lothian and Peebles Children's Committee between 1964 and 1968. In 1968, Pat joined the architectural research unit of the University of Edinburgh to undertake sociologist housing research. For five years from 1974, Pat worked for Robert Matthews, Johnston Marshall & Partners as a sociologist and planner, working on developing housing in Tripoli, in Libya, the Suez master plan, in Egypt, and planning in Easter Ross. Her indomitability expressed itself early: she argued with Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi himself about the quality of the proposed new housing in Tripoli; she was held at gunpoint more than once; and smuggled architectural plans across borders in a Persian rug. She found her true calling, however, when she joined the Scottish Special Housing Association (SSHA) in 1979, then one of the biggest social landlords in Europe.

Pat held a number of senior positions and was hugely influential within SSHA and its successor Scottish Homes. She was a key figure in the establishment of HomePoint, the national housing advice and support project; and in the creation of national standards for housing information and advice, which are now in force across Scotland.

In 2001, another change in national housing policy direction saw the replacement of Scottish Homes with the formation of Communities Scotland as a Scottish Executive agency for housing and regeneration. As a senior officer of Communities Scotland, Pat continued to work in a number of policy development posts.

In 2003, Pat transferred to the Scottish Executive, which benefited from her vast knowledge and experience. She began to work on the Supporting People programme in Scotland. She worked tirelessly to ensure the effective implementation of the programme in a way that reflected Scottish circumstances; and she continued well past normal retirement age, despite health setbacks, to get the job done. Her work and her dedication won her widespread respect and admiration. Pat was also a member of the Executive's Homelessness Taskforce, led by the then minister for social justice; and she played an important part both in shaping the recommendations and then in implementing them - including a national furniture grants and furniture recycling schemes, and developing social networks for the homeless.

More recently, Pat returned to the theme of housing advice and support when she set up HouseKey, a web-based directory of housing support services to help people seek out the best service for themselves. But Pat's main focus over the past year, and the area where she was most keen to make headway before she finally retired, was a review of housing for the increasingly large proportion of older people in Scotland. In this, she worked closely with the communities minister, latterly Malcolm Chisholm.

Pat was awarded the OBE in 2005 for services to housing. Her vast knowledge of Scottish housing - the history, the inside stories and the anecdotes, as well as the legislation and the programmes - was worn very lightly.

She was well known throughout the housing world, speaking at many conferences, and during her career she trained and mentored many of the professionals currently working in housing in Scotland today. She was a caring and supportive colleague, who always had time for others. Her wit was legendary and her mischievous sense of humour leavened many difficult moments.

Pat's interest in, and appetite for, work and her determination to move policy on was unflagging, even in the face of a succession of health problems. The focus of Pat's work remained the support of the vulnerable. Housing has lost one of its most charismatic, courageous and determined champions.

Pat enjoyed a rich social life outside her work. She enjoyed life to the full and was always lively company. Pat was a fanatical bridge player and a director of Melville Bridge Club. She was a talented cook, an indefatigable entertainer and a keen traveller. She greatly valued her family and her many friendships, a large number of which went back to childhood. She loved culture (whether ballet or Big Brother) and sport, in particular cricket, rugby and latterly Formula 1. She will be sorely missed both personally and professionally.