Personality Profile Brought up in Welling, with her father


working at Woolwich Arsenal, Chris remembers her parents telling her that aſter a German V2 bomb dropped at the end of their road, killing 22 people, her mother decided it was time to evacuate. She moved Chris, and her brother and grandmother to Lambley, a small Nottinghamshire village for a few months. At 15, Chris started work at Woolwich


Arsenal as a machine operator making punch cards and progressed in the Civil Service, eventually being posted to do admin work at the government research site at Fort Halstead, near Sevenoaks. While working at Woolwich, she met


her husband, John, at a friend’s wedding reception, and the pair were married in 1965. Te newlyweds moved into what was to be


their forever home the same year aſter house- hunting trips on her motor scooter led them to West Malling. There they raised two sons and Chris


got involved with local schools, PTAs and Leybourne Youth Club. Happy family holidays were spent caravanning, camping and fishing – a pastime that Chris discovered a talent for. John, a manager of woodwork at RBLI


Aylesford, retired in 2001, but sadly he passed away seven years later. Aſter 14 years at home, Chris worked as a learning support assistant at Ofam School for 10 years, then moved to Oaktree School


“When I was two and a half, I couldn’t walk. I was taken to Great Ormond Street Hospital and had boots and splints and irons on both legs…”


in Maidstone. She had only been there a short time when she made the shock discovery that she had breast cancer, and during her treatment, she decided to retire early through ill health, aſter trying to return to work. Chris became a governor of Te Malling


School in 1992. Te East Malling secondary school federated with Holmesdale at Snodland in 2008, and she continued as governor and child protection officer of both schools until they de-federated two years ago. She said: “I always say you can’t keep on


taking out of the pot because one day it’s going to be empty.” Now a grandmother, Chris continues to


do voluntary support reading with students at Te Malling School two days a week. “My son says ‘when are you going to leave school?’, said Chris. “I say when I can’t help a child to read. It gives them confidence. It’s all about TLC.” Holidays can be difficult for singletons, but Chris didn’t let that stop her.


After selling the family touring caravan


“because the boys don’t want me driving it on the M25”, she found a company specialising in trips for singles and her trips have led to many new friendships. A keen motor bike fan, she has oſten travelled on her own to the annual T races in the Isle of Man. She has also been on a five- week tour of Australia and New Zealand, looking in on a school friend, and staying in youth hostels which she rated “marvellous”. Chris has also been to Croatia, America, Finland to see the Northern Lights, and on a sailing trip round the British Isles. Next on her list are India, Malta, Austria “and anywhere else I can fit in”. At home, she enjoys helping with the


Lions many activities including social meet and eats at local pubs, bucket shakes at supermarkets and collecting and making up Christmas hampers. Last year, 120 were given to families within the community. Chris says: “I enjoy it. It keeps me busy.


Over the last nine years, I have diversified and got on with other things. I meet up with friends I have met on holiday. “There are lots of others like me who


try and help people. The Lions would like more members so if anyone has some time on their hands or would like to meet people, come along and join us.”


Make a difference


When Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) opened in 1852 with just 10 beds, it was the first in the UK to offer dedicated inpatient care to children. Now with a 160-year heritage of


groundbreaking work and pioneering new treatments, it cares for more than 600 youngsters each day. Te famous hospital has always depended


on charitable support to help sick children have the best chance of a beter future. To help GOSH make a difference,


contact the fundraising team on community. events@gosh.org or call 020 3841 3131.


Mid Kent Living 27


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