Ērika Sarkanbārde

1916–2004
Organist, choir director, significant public worker

Erika Sarkanbarde was born on 12 April 1916 in Tver, Russia. She spent her childhood and first school years in Limbazi. She obtained a diploma of pharmacist's assistant from the Latvian Pharmaceutical Administration, started her working career in a pharmacy in Limbazi and also studied at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Latvia.

In 1944, she fled to Germany, where, at the end of World War II, she worked for the British Military Administration in Münster while continuing her pharmacy studies at the University of Münster. In 1948 she moved to England, where she worked in administration at Bradford College and later at the University of Bradford.

In England, Sarkanbarde started an active public life – starting from 1949, she participated in the work of the Leicester branch of Daugavas Vanagi (DV), later contributed to the founding of DV chapters in Nottingham and Bradford, and was actively involved in the activities of the chapters. She was the North of England District Vanadzi Representative of the Daugavas Vanagi Foundation (DVF) since 1977, and the Head of the DVF Vanadzes Unit since 1979.

She founded and directed choirs in Bradford and Leeds and was active in Latvian parishes – she was the chair of Latvian parish committees, organist at church services, teacher at Latvian Saturday schools.