A central London Memorial was organised for the Founder of the Body Shop, Dame Anita Roddick, who died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. It was hoped that the occasion would give ordinary people a chance to pay tribute to this extraordinary woman.

Anita’s life touched millions and tributes have poured in through books of condolence set out in more than 2200 Body Shops around the world. She always claimed she did not have a clue how she managed to found an Empire and her website encourages everyone to have a go, stating: ‘If Anita can whip up an empire, you can too!’

Adrian Bellamy, the Body Shop’s chairman, said: ‘Anita was not only our Founder but she was also the heart and passion of The Body Shop. With her we achieved so much, whether on animal rights, human rights, Community Trade, or through the founding of organisations like Children on the Edge.’

It is no exaggeration to say that Anita changed the world of business through her example and with the founding of the New Business Academy in Bath and she was overwhelmed by the potential of the web, launching www.TakeItPersonally.org to link like-minded people and move them to mass-action.

Everyone who knew this beautiful, warm hearted and charismatic woman could not help but be inspired by her love of life, her vision and her passion for changing the world. She was never daunted and would say: ‘Look, if we can get stripes into a tube of toothpaste, we can do anything!’

www.anitaroddick.com