Anita Roddick, without doubt the greatest British woman of her generation, died on September 10, 2007, aged 64. She was world renowned as a visionary pioneer of fair trade, a vociferous campaigner for human rights and supporter of international Green issues; a corporate entrepreneur who believed that third world producers could be helped and supported rather than exploited.

She was also the only British public figure of any note to give support to Outsider and Visionary Art. Her generosity was the governing factor in allowing the American Visionary Art Museum to become a reality. With an initial gift of $500,000 she propelled the whole project and without her input the Museum may never have materialised. Few who were at the large Raw Vision exhibition at London's Mexico Gallery in 2004 will have forgot her presence and opening address. The loss of her energy, commitment, warmth and humanity will leave a gap in the lives of many people around the world.