Friday, 13th June 2014 was a very sad day for S.I. Keighley. One of our shining lights passed away after a short illness. Moira joined S.I. Keighley on 1st June 1983 and all those who knew her would agree she was someone “who made a difference” to everything that she did both in the club and her many connections/interests in the town. She was a respected and much loved person within the Yorkshire Region. She had a fantastic family which she cherished and was proud of them all.
She was President in 1989-90 but her enthusiasm was present in every thing she did for the Club. She was the Club member who set up the Aire Valley Contact Centre with S.I. Bingley and helped build this valuable intervention for children and estranged family members. This service is invaluable to our British courts and now similar Centres are all over the country. Moira was a team leader and on the Committee of the Contact Centre for 13 years. She also assisted with Keighley Town’s Talking Newspaper scheme for the partially sited and blind.
We were fortunate to have Moira as our Press Secretary for many years and one would have thought we had a direct “hot line” to the Editor of the Keighley News. Our news and events always got covered and raised awareness in the town. She ensured we got publicity at Regional and National level too.
Her love of the international aspect was present especially as our Friendship Link Co-ordinator and she handled the correspondence with Pottstown, USA and North Shore, New Zealand clubs with her usual due diligence. She organised a trip to Philadelphia to visit our link in the States. In the last year she was quick to welcome our new Friendship Link, SI Crosby and travelled with us to Carnforth to meet them for the first time.
She organised Charter Dinners and groomed many to follow in her footsteps with this big task and although she sadly missed our 80th Anniversary Charter in May she did an excellent job in getting Annie Speller to take on the job of President for this important year. She still listened and advised the “Dinner Team” right to the end.
She attended Bingley Charter Lunch as recently as 30th April 2014.
With a vibrant personality she had many interests and thought nothing of speaking to a new group formed in Keighley “Airedale Ladies4Networking” to tell them why they should become Soroptimists in May 2013.
Her faith was strong and she supported Silsden Methodist Church over many years and would willingly visit the elderly and sick when the need arose.
Her final wish was to be allowed to die at home and her fantastic family made sure it was possible.
Moira was a remarkable woman who will be missed but never forgotten. Bless you Moira.
