Chris was an inspiration to all at Bedford Rowing Club and in particular to those who rowed with her in the Rec's rowing group. Chris was an inspiration to us all and we continue to aspire to her challenge of living life to the brim’

If you had been looking for people who had climbed and skied down most of the highest peaks in Europe, who had swum the channel who had won numerous medals for swimming and rowing, and taught half the population of Bedford to swim, among that group of elite athletes you would have found our friend Chris Gleave. Within that select group, if you had been looking for somebody who was a good and faithful friend, who if anybody was in trouble they turned up and visited and worked until things got better, whose word was her bond, who engaged with disabled children and adults, who faithfully cleaned the church for 3 decades and with all that who was kind and gentle and honourable and true and good, the field would be limited to one, our friend Chris Gleave

Our very special friend Chris. If you had been looking for people who had climbed and skied down most of the highest peaks in Europe, who had swum the channel who had won numerous medals for swimming and rowing, and taught half the population of Bedford to swim, among that group of elite athletes you would have found our friend Chris Gleave. Within that select group, if you had been looking for somebody who was a good and faithful friend, who if anybody was in trouble they turned up and visited and worked until things got better, whose word was her bond, who engaged with disabled children and adults, who faithfully cleaned the church for 3 decades and with all that who was kind and gentle and honourable and true and good, the field would be limited to one, our friend Chris Gleave