Margaret Lubbock, chairwoman of the White Cliffs Ramblers, has died after a short illness.

Margaret, who was 74, and lived in Eythorne near Deal, joined the White Cliffs Ramblers in 2000 after reading a story about the group in the Mercury, becoming chairman in 2011.

As chairman, she oversaw a range of initiatives, including an expansion of the walks programme which led to a boost in membership; a project to recruit a team of volunteers to keep footpaths open and maintained; and a series of social events, including group holidays at home and abroad, quiz nights and barn dances.

She was also one of the founders and organisers of the annual White Cliffs Walking Festival, which attracts several hundred walkers every year, and has become the top event of its kind in the South East.

Under Margaret, membership of the group grew from just under 400 in 2013 to approximately 500 today, bucking the national trend.

Margaret was also vice-chairman of Kent Ramblers, a position she held from 2012 until her death.

Margaret hailed from Colchester in Essex, and spent many years in the catering industry, which included running a restaurant in Richmond, Surrey.

"Margaret was an extraordinary woman and a real asset to our group...”

She moved to east Kent 35 years ago and spent more than 11 years working in the medical department for Pfizer at Sandwich.

Ten years ago she opened a guest house at her home in Eythorne.

Margaret has two children in their 30s – Rosemary, who works as a marketing manager in London, and Roderick, a lecturer in engineering at Imperial College, London and Pembroke College, Oxford.

Pam Brivio, the former Mayor of Dover who is a member of the White Cliffs Ramblers, said: “This is such sad news. Margaret was an extraordinary woman and a real asset to our group.”

Group secretary Helena Trevelayn said: “Apart from everything she achieved for the group, Margaret was extremely cultured and knowledgeable, and she was a superb conversationalist. I remember the wonderful conversations we had about all things cultural, from the Bloomsbury Group to the history and architecture of buildings, especially, the old houses we came across on our walks.

“She was proud of her time at Pfizer, and she was so pleased that the Pfizer group at Sandwich had been the first to isolate the Covid-19 virus molecule”.

The group is now considering organising a Margaret Lubbock Memorial Walk during this year’s White Cliffs Walking Festival, which is set for August 26-31.

Read more: All the latest news from Dover

Read more: All the latest news from Deal