in loving memory of peer Alumna Georgia Fitzsimmons

The words below are those spoken by our Artistic Director Nina Lemon at Georgia’s funeral.

Everyone at Peer Productions were deeply shocked and saddened when we heard of the sudden passing of our friend and colleague, brilliant young performer Georgia Fitzsimmons and I am honoured that her family have entrusted me to make this tribute to her.

Georgia joined Peer Productions as a founder member of the Peer Empowerment Pathway, a newly developed course designed specifically for young creatives with learning disabilities. She remained with the charity for three years until July 2025 and played an important role in shaping the pathway through her commitment, curiosity and creativity.

Georgia was an extraordinarily dedicated, passionate and talented young performer whose creativity, warmth and generosity left a lasting impact on everyone she worked with at Peer. She thrived in creative spaces, developing her craft as part of an ensemble and growing in confidence as she matured into adulthood. Drama, dance and music were Georgia’s happy place, and the joy she found in making creative work was truly infectious.

During her time at Peer, Georgia regularly represented the charity at open days and community events. One of our most shy learners told me that the very first time she came to Peer for an open day, it was Georgia who showed her around. On her second visit, Georgia walked straight up to her and gave her a hug. That simple gesture meant a great deal to her. For someone who can worry about making friends, it made her feel that she already had one. It’s a small moment, but it speaks volumes about who Georgia was: instinctively kind, quietly brave, and always looking out for others. She took the business of friendship seriously and had an extraordinary ability to form deep and meaningful connections very quickly. Georgia had a rare gift for making people feel seen, valued and at ease.

She was also a joyful and dedicated performer. Her love of music shone through in our daily company warm-ups, where she was often first in line to request a song, usually Gorillaz. Georgia had a magnetic quality that naturally drew people towards her, and this translated into a compelling, electric stage presence. Our learners remember her as always dancing, laughing, and finding joy in music. One learner affectionately described her as “my little fairy friend”, a phrase that captured Georgia’s gentle magic perfectly.

 In her first year at Peer, Georgia created her Story of Me - a one-woman performance inspired by her experience of growing up with Williams syndrome, which some of you may know was once referred to as “elfin face syndrome”. There are even theories that early folklore about elves and fairies may have been influenced by people with Williams Syndrome. Georgia loved the idea that she might be a real-life fairy and, with confidence, humour, and intelligence, she reclaimed the word “elfin” concluding her performance by playfully urging the audience to “clap your hands if you believe in fairies”, and we all, of course, more than willingly obliged.

 In her second year, Georgia was part of the ensemble that created The Story of Us, a new play exploring the company’s shared experiences of growing up with a learning disability. She embraced the challenge fully, relishing the opportunity to contribute to mature storylines that explored mental health, friendship and domestic abuse. Her strong sense of justice was clear and deeply felt. Once again, she delighted audiences by embracing her inner fairy, this time as a long-suffering fairy godmother offering her own thoughtful and hard-won reflections on love and relationships. She delivered these moments with warmth, humour and a generous self-awareness that made them all the more powerful. She was sassy, funny and deeply engaging, and audiences loved watching her perform.

As part of this project, Georgia toured SEND schools, inspiring young audiences, and also performed at a public event in London. It was the hottest day of the year, and Georgia was feeling unwell. With her small stature and childlike enthusiasm, it was sometimes easy for people to underestimate her. But beneath that was extraordinary strength and determination. Despite the heat and how she was feeling, Georgia was absolutely resolute about travelling to London and performing. And she did so brilliantly. Everyone at Peer was immensely proud of her.

 In her final year at Peer, Georgia completed her Level 2 RSL qualification in Creative and Performing Arts, a vocational qualification at the same level as a GCSE. This was a huge achievement which required sustained perseverance, focus and hard work. As part of her Level 2 course, Georgia loved exploring Shakespeare, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which felt especially fitting - Though she may have been little, she was fierce!

Alongside her studies, she worked as part of an inclusive ensemble delivering workshops in SEND schools and performing in The Next Chapter alongside her peers from the Peer Actor Development Programme - young actors with and without learning disabilities working together. Since the news of her passing, we have received an outpouring of messages from those young actors, now spread across the UK, all expressing how deeply Georgia touched them with her warmth, kindness and fearless approach to creative life.

 When it came time for Georgia to move on from Peer, there was great sadness at her departure, but also immense pride when we learned that she, alongside her classmate Archie, had been accepted onto the prestigious Access All Areas course. It felt like a powerful next chapter in a journey she had worked so hard to build.

 As Shakespeare reminds us ‘we are such stuff as dreams are made on’. Georgia lived that truth and brought with her a rare kind of magic. Whether performing, learning or simply being alongside others, Georgia danced through life with joy, courage and imagination.

Alongside fairies, she believed in connection, in creativity, social justice and in the power of friendship. She is remembered with immense love and pride, and her light, her laughter and her extraordinary presence will continue to be felt and celebrated long after her passing.