MISSING . . . and FOUND!
THE DAILY MAIL offers readers a unique opportunity to re-establish contact with long-lost relatives and friends. Each week, MONICA PORTER features the story of someone trying to find a missing loved one, as well as a tale of people reunited. This column is produced in conjunction with the voluntary tracing service, Searching For A Memory, run by Gill and John Whitley. ‘I’D LOVE to find some old school friends,’ writes maureen Gill (nee Kirkpatrick), of buckinghamshire.
‘Pupils in my class at Glenwood school in Castlemilk, Glasgow, made a pioneering trip to moscow in 1962. I was especially friendly with morag mcGrath, Dorothy mcWee and sheila stewart, who made this trip.
‘ In the picture, we are reciting a robert burns poem at the Pushkin society and, though they couldn’t understand a word, they responded with great applause.
‘the trip made a lasting impact on me. In 1997, I was invited by the UK Department for International Development to work in siberia in palliative care.
‘sixteen years of hard work has led to me sowing the seeds of hospice care not only through this region, but in other parts of the russian Federation.’ a YEar ago, sandra Fellingham and her husband simon were trying to trace long-lost friends, Ian and Jenny micklewright.
‘In the seventies, Ian and simon lived in a block of flats called st Georges Court in East Grinstead, West sussex,’ wrote sandra.
‘I moved in with simon and met Ian and his girlfriend Jenny. We had many happy times together.
‘In 1976, simon and I got married in Crawley register Office and they were our witnesses. When Ian and Jenny got married a year later, simon was best man.
‘In 1982, simon and I, plus our two children, went to live in south africa. We returned once in 1996 and stayed with Ian and Jenny, but after that lost contact.
‘now, we have retired to the UK. We live in norfolk and would love to get in touch with Ian and Jenny.’
Well, no sign yet, however, a different reunion is on the cards. this email arrived from anne baldwin: ‘though I am not the person sandra is trying to find, I am an old friend from East Grinstead, who kept in touch for a while after she moved to south africa.
‘together with another old friend of ours, Lesley Elliott, I’d love to meet up with sandra. Our children are in their 30s now.
‘Your help with contacting sandra and her family would be greatly appreciated.’
IF THERE is someone you would like to trace, write to Gill Whitley, 1 Newbrook House, New Hall Lane, Preston, PR1 5PE, enclosing an SAE, or send an email to monica.porter@dailymail. co.uk — including a contact phone number. All communications will be answered as soon as possible. This column is researched with the aid of Peopletracer (www.peopletracer.co.uk). A small donation will be requested for employing Gill Whitley’s services.