FELLOW students of a popular Wroughton girl who died last year remembered her in their graduation ceremony in Bristol on Tuesday.
The graduates from The University of the West of England gave an extended round of applause as a special award was given to Ellie Free who died in her sleep aged just 24 in January 2015.
Ellie, who also went by the surname Winters, was described by friends after her death as ‘beautiful, vivacious and outgoing’.
The award was presented at the ceremony held at Bristol Cathedral and was accepted on her behalf by her mum Liz.
Dr Caroline Brown, a senior lecturer at the university, summed up the feeling of those present when she said: “Ellie is much missed by fellow students and staff at the university.”
Ellie had been about to enter her final year of study for a degree in psychology before news of her sudden death left friends and family devastated.
She had operated a lingerie business in Swindon’s Tented Market from 2010 to 2012 before moving to Bristol in 2013 to study psychology and sociology.
Her funeral was just 11 days before what would have been her 25th birthday and she was committed in a bright pink coffin plastered in messages of love from those closest to her.
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