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Mollie Berry

30/ 6/2008

A GREAT Harwood volunteer who was awarded the British Empire Medal has died aged 94.

Mollie Berry, formerly of Allsprings Drive, Great Harwood, was awarded the prestigious medal in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancaster around 30 years ago.

Mrs Berry started her voluntary work with the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) when her children were teenagers. She started by doing Meals on Wheels, and after many years was asked to take on the role of district organiser, which led to her to starting a trolley shop at Northlands Home for the Elderly, Great Harwood.

Being one of the founder members who worked to get the Bank Mill Senior Citizens’ Centre on Church Street, Great Harwood built, she and a team of people started a luncheon club there.

Also, she went each month to Preston Prison with a team of people to look after the children while the mothers visited their fathers.

Mrs Berry was always recognised on Remembrance Sunday walking up Church Street in the parade in her WRVS green coat and hat carrying the wreath to put on the memorial.

She was always active and organising something, looking after anyone needing help.

Mrs Berry worked as a seamstress and in her later working life was employed at Halton’s Clothes shop and Bailey’s clothes shop on Queen Street as an alteration hand.

The youngest of seven children she was baptised Mary but when her father heard Lancashire people pronouncing it "Mury" he changed it and called her Mollie.

She married Walter in 1940, who ran Berry’s Ironmongers in Queen Street after coming out of the Army. They had two daughters Kathleen and Joyce.

In 1987 the couple moved to James Street, Great Harwood, where they spent many happy years together reaching their diamond wedding anniversary. Walter died in 2003 after a long illness.

Last October Mollie moved to St Huberts Lodge Residential Home where she spent the last months of her life.

Arrangements: E T Birtwistle.