Tributes to "kind and caring" Wigan teaching assistant Sylvia

Tributes have been paid to a Wigan teaching assistant who dedicated more than 25 years of her life to helping and educating children.

Sylvia Grimshaw, 75, from Standish, died suddenly on Monday, July 20.

Paying tribute, her daughter Melanie Grimshaw, said: “My mum ‘Mrs Grimshaw’ just loved working with children and was good with them.

“She was wonderful with her grandchildren and would always spend time with them eating in cafes and other things.”

Sylia had always wanted to become a teacher and was well-known and much loved by pupils, parent and colleagues alike for her quarter of a century at Woodfold Primary School in

Standish.

She started at Woodfold in 1985 as a dinner lady to coincide with Melanie starting in reception there the same

year.

Later she worked in the nursery, Fledgings, before becoming a teaching assistant.

Sadly she had to retire in 2011 but her time at Woodfold has left a lasting legacy, with past students telling her family how she makes up a large part of their memories there.

Another pupil recalled how Sylvia had recognised them years after leaving school and had took the time to stand and have a chat for 15

minutes.

She was also “legendary” for her weekly times table challenges at the school, which would see her buy prizes out of her own money for pupils.

Melanie, 40, from Shevington, went on to describe her mum as a “kind, caring, considerate, genuine person, who wanted to help people.

She said: “She had this natural affinity for children. She wanted to help people and she had this ability to get an awful lot out of the children.

She added: “Sylvia had a great sense of humour, no one had a bad word to say about her. She helped so many and will be missed by a lot of people.”

And many past pupils, parent and colleagues have left messages about Mrs Grimshaw on a dedicated

page.

Paula Pierce said: “I have such wonderful memories of your mum.

“She always had a smile on her face, had sweeties and toffees in her pockets but most of all she gave the best hugs when I needed them. One in a million and always very kind.”

Julie Haggarty Ashurst said: “Such sad news, I loved working with Sylvia at Woodfold she was always there to lend an ear or a shoulder or to give one of her lovely hugs. My two also loved Mrs

Grimshaw.”

Born in Billinge, before growing up in Pemberton, Sylvia lived in Standish for 50 years and was a mother-of-two, Melanie and Alan, 46, while she was also a grandmother to Ada, two, and Rebecca, seven.

Her funeral last week ended up being a fitting tribute, passing St Wilfrid’s Church, and then going along Green Lane and stopping at Woodfold before going back down Preston Road to the crematorium, with past pupils lining the streets to pay their respects.

A JustGiving page has been set up, with all funds going towards a memorial tree and bench in Mrs Grimshaw’s name.

Anyone wishing to make a donation towards this memorial can do so at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/melanie-grimshaw