Hospital friends founder dies (From Keighley News)

Hospital friends founder dies

9:00am Friday 7th September 2012 in News

Gladys Gill, one of the founder members of the Friends of Airedale, has died aged 96.

Mrs Gill, who lived all her life in Keighley, served at Airedale Hospital with the Friends for at least 35 years.

She was born into the Portlock family who, for many years, ran a removal firm in Keighley.

She married Norman Gill, who was well-known from working on the buses.

The couple joined the Friends of Airedale in 1970, the year the Steeton hospital opened.

Over the years, Mrs Gill worked in the hospital shop and on its trolley service and arranged flowers in the wards. In 1997 she became deputy section leader in the shop.

In 2005, Mrs Gill was among seven founder members of the Friends who received certificates for their service.

Gladys also staffed a hospital tea trolley for many years with the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service.

She continued as a hospital volunteer into her 90s, until ill health forced her to step down.

She had spent the last five years living at Herncliffe care home in Keighley.