A campaigner against sexual and also domestic violence in Norfolk for than 30 years, Sue Lambert, has died aged 64.

And in recognition of her contribution, the trustees of Sexual Violence Alliance (SeVA) have agreed to change the charity's name to the Sue Lambert Trust.

She was chairman of trustees for almost 10 years until stepping down in 2011 having been diagnosed with breast cancer.

SeVA's roots started more than 30 years ago as Norwich Rape Crisis, when it was established as a women's collective. Sue Lambert had joined in the late 1980s because she had been sexually assaulted at the age of 16.

It made her even more determined to make a difference, so she trained to be a counsellor and then play a leading role in a string of campaigns in Norwich and Norfolk.

Then in 2004, she became a founder member of a partner organisation, called MPower, a helpline and counselling and support service for men. For four years the two charities worked side by side – then both Rape Crisis and MPower came together as SeVA with a core team of professional staff and about 25 volunteers. The organisation supports both men and women by offering face-to-face counselling, as well as a phone helpline and also support groups.

In 2010, SeVA was a finalist in the Safer Norfolk Awards, run by the EDP, and recognising Norfolk People of the Year.

Latterly, as Norfolk's domestic abuse reduction co-ordinator, working with the county council, Mrs Lambert organised and led many campaigns on behalf of the police, including 'Norfolk Says No'.

Born in Manchester on October 21, 1948, she spent her early years in Germany and Malaysia where her father was an engineer in the Royal Air Force. After her parents moved to Norwich, she went to St Thomas More School and then worked for Boulton & Paul on Riverside.

After marrying in September 1970 at Ringland Church, she had two sons and volunteered for the Pre-school Playgroups Association and then started youth work, initially in the Larkman area and then at the Loke and Cadge Road community centres. Much to her surprise, she became one of Anglia Television's Helen's Heroes and was interviewed by Helen McDermott.

Her involvement with Norwich City Council's community development projects saw her working at Pilling Park, Fiddlewood, Harford, Catton Grove and the Jubilee Centre on Long John Hill.

She qualified as a counsellor, again in her spare time. Always devoted to her sons and her grandchildren, she combined her work with her duties as 'nanny.' As her health failed, she returned home on Christmas Eve and died on January 5.

She is survived by her husband, Mike, sons John and Peter, and four grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at St Faith's Crematorium on Thursday, January 24 at 10.15am.

Michael Pollitt