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Cornard People |
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Page updated - 19 February 2005 |
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Chris Ward Chris is a familiar figure in the village and everyone whose children attended either Wells Hall Primary or the Middle School must know her. Chris has lived in Great Cornard for 33 years, coming here with her husband Bill and family when he was asked to become a key worker in the first factory to open on the Industrial Estate. Chris saw the development of Great Cornard and remembers lorries, coming from the power stations, loaded with ash to fill up the chalk pits which were then all over the area now covered by Maldon Court.
Chris has been a foster mother for over 20 years and would always take all the children from families that were having difficulties so that they would not be split up. She has also been a child minder and anyone calling on Chris would always see at least one child playing happily in her living room, which overflowed with toys. Chris has been helping with the Cornard Guides for10 years (and would love to have some more volunteers to help). She has reluctantly just had to give up running the Brownies because she has had to take on her two small grandchildren permanently.
Throughout her life in Cornard Chris has worked at the Middle and Wells Hall School, in the kitchens, as a dinner lady, and as a cleaner. She has also worked with children with special needs at Wells Hall School. Education of children has always been important to Chris and she has been on the Parent/Governor Board at both Wells Hall and Middle Schools and helped to start the Home and School Association at the Middle School. This is apart from being on the committee of the PTA at Wells Hall School.
Chris helped at the Summer Playscheme that used to be run at the Stevenson Centre and is sorry that it has to close this year due to lack of volunteers. She has her own thoughts about the reason for this. She has also worked as a carer at the McLellan Retirement Home and was president of the W.I. for many years.
You may wonder how Chris ever finds time for herself. The answer seems to be that she doesn’t! Any spare time is spent collecting for the many good causes she supports.
Sadly, Chris’s husband Bill died 5 years ago but she has 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls. One of the boys is a teacher and one of the girls a nanny, so obviously her love of children has been passed on.
If anyone deserves a medal for service to the community it must be Chris. Long may she have the health and strength to continue in her work.
Interview by Joan Herbert (Cornard News) – 11 May 2001
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