Categories: uncategorized
Date: 22 August 2006 20:56:30
I have decided to pop a brief portrait of my mum on here, so people can get an idea of what amazing woman she was. This is not intended to be morbid or anything, but you've all been so supportive over the last week I thought it might be nice for you to know just a little about the woman we've lost.
Firstly my mum was a unique contradiction - how many other Daily Mail readers have found themselves labelled as a "dangerous red" on a fascist web site (even if the fascists couldn't spell her name right)? She could also be very blunt and direct yet she had a heart overflowing with generosity for others.
She worked throughout her life on behalf of others. When my brother was born with a cleft lip and palate she became very actively involved with CLAPA (the Cleft Lip and Palate Association) during the early 1980's (and just incase anybody who actually knew her is reading that's who we'd like donations to go to).
Following an early career as a lighting technician she became a teacher, who taught at every level of education, at various points in her life & when I say a teacher she was one of those people who didn't just get learners through qualifications to meet benchmarks. My mum always sought to ensure that people not only fulfilled their potential (through qualifications) but also fulfilled their hopes and dreams, as far as possible.
In addition she cared about her colleagues in a very practical way. She worked on their behalf as a union rep on a local, regional and national level & was an active member of the local trades council. Her last candidates address sums up what she believed in for people in all sectors of education:
"Adequate funding adequately deployed
Equality for all; whatever their current contract, terms or conditions or personal circumstances
Consistency - whether via national or local agreements, advisory frameworks, guidelines or the application and interpretation of legislation
Co-operation - between education unions; with other unions, for the benefit of the national workforce; between funding bodies, employers, unions, employees and volunteers in colleges, prisons and all other educational settings"
Finally, but in no means least she was a wife, mum and nanna & a damn good one at that.
Throughout her life she worked incredibly hard to achieve these things & so that's why I am incredibly proud of who she was and what she achieved.