Gillian Frances Andrew
3 May 1946 to 19 November 2024
Jill was born in Croydon and initially trained as a teacher. But teaching was not enough of a challenge and after a year she went to teach in Ethiopia. She arrived there in a period of great civil unrest and had to leave after a year. She made her way home via East Africa, cargo boat to Bombay via the Seychelles, through India, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and into Turkey when time and money dictated a flight back to the UK. On return she was able to get a job as a YHA Field Officer
Shortly afterwards Jill married Rex. Jill said the YHA job wasn’t compatible with marriage so went back to teaching until she started her family. After her first son, David, was born the family moved to Leeds. Jill had 2 more children, Peter and Jenny, while at the same time studying with the Open University and achieved a 1stClass honours degree. In 1981 the family moved to Wirral.
As the children grew up she also found time to learn about birds of coast and estuary and go on a number of field trips, work for the hospital school doing home tuition, to set up A level Environmental Science at Wirral Metropolitan college and to teach at a variety of schools covering the full age range.
When the children left home, Jill qualified as a leader for HF holidays (mainly walking and sightseeing) and led over 50 holidays in ten years or so. Breast cancer struck her in 2007, needing a mastectomy, but that didn’t stop her arranging more overseas travel which included volunteering in Uganda as well as visiting other parts of Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Americas.
Jill joined Heswall Soroptimists in 2003 and was very active and involved throughout the years, even when quite ill. She was President twice and was Chair of the fund-raising committee for a while. However her real interest was in Programme Action. She was club PA Chair for a number of years. She was also joint Regional Programme Action Officer and active member of UKPAC for 4 years. She involved herself whole-heartedly in all club projects, initiating many herself and encouraging and advising others. She was also involved in regional (anti-slavery and Llangollen Eisteddford) and national projects such as women’s imprisonment, the latter interest encompassing helping out with the setting up and development of Tomorrow’s Women Wirral. As well as participating in club events she gave us the use of her home for meetings and social events..
Jill never seemed to lack energy and enthusiasm and was well-liked by all who knew her. She was an inspiration to many, locally and regionally. She will be sorely missed by members of our club, region and by the many friends she made over the years.