Memorial trust gives youngsters vital help
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A GRIEVING husband has set up a charity to help disadvantaged pupils in memory of his teacher wife. Angela Webster, the popular deputy principal of The Parkside Federation, was at home with her husband Andrew when she suffered a massive brain haemorrhage in January. Paramedics battled to help her and she was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital but doctors could not save her. Andrew, 49, said: "She had no symptoms whatsoever and just collapsed as I was clearing the table after dinner and she died in hospital. "It is a comfort for me that I was with her and she didn't suffer any great pain. To see your partner suffer would be much harder to bear. "We had been married for 26 years and she had a huge amount of energy, a wicked sense of humour and a real sense of mischief. I miss her every day." |
Andrew, managing director of Andrew Webster Limited, a Cambridge tax, accountancy and legal firm, has now set up The Angela Webster Trust in tribute to his wife to ensure less fortunate pupils of The Parkside Federation can afford to go on school trips.
The launch of the trust will take place tomorrow (Saturday, 28 April), a particularly poignant event because it would have been Angela's 50th birthday. Andrew said: "The trust will provide financial assistance to students of the federation who might miss out on educational opportunities because of a shortage of cash at home. "We are still looking at ideas but the money will be spent on things like sending them on foreign exchange visits and helping out with extra-curricular music lessons." The new charity already has a kitty of £3,300 which was donated by hundreds of mourners at Angela's funeral. |
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Andrew said: "It would always grieve Angela if a student was denied a chance to learn something because there was a lack of money at home. She had masses of energy for teaching and life and she was a hugely committed teacher who was extremely popular. She had a real presence in the classroom and it was her passion for teaching that drove her. I would love to see as many of her old pupils, colleagues and friends present at the event as possible."
The launch, open to all, will take place at Parkside Community College at 8pm.
Live music, nibbles and a glass of wine is included in the tickets, which are priced at £10 for adults, £3 for students. Call (01223) 712600 or pay on the door.
This article appeared in the Cambridge Evening News, written by Jo Tynan with thanks, on 27th April 2007.