Tributes paid to long-time town resident Hilda Puttick

‘One of Loughborough’s greats’ will be missed by many people

HILDA Puttick, a long-time resident of Loughborough died in June, aged 81.

She was a widely known, much loved community organiser, campaigner and adviser and friend to so many people in the town where she had lived for nearly sixty years.

Hilda was born in Swansea, where she enjoyed being the youngest member of a large ‘gang’.

She’d run freely with them in the cobbled streets until finally reaching home, calling ‘Little mama, I’m home.’

After these happy childhood days, Hilda went on to study German at the University of Marberg in Germany.

Helping others was central to Hilda’s life. She trained to be a social worker in London then worked at a Pestalozzi Children’s Village after graduating.

She then met her future husband, John Puttick, in the East End of London where he was working with the Brotherhood of Prayer and Action at the crypt in St Botolph’s Church. He was supporting homeless men, a theme which would continue when they moved here.

Hilda and John married in London prior to moving to Loughborough in 1965.

Initially, they lived on Wharncliffe Road, where they ran a house for men who had recently left prison.

In addition to having four children, David, Jo, Chris and Rachel, they also fostered John Barker when he was just 14, as well as supporting other young people in need of a home.

Mum was more than a title for Hilda. She was a mum in so many ways to so many people – she had an exceptional capacity to love and give widely which isn’t commonly found. She led a truly Christian life – putting others first.

Hilda and John took a stand against racism. They deliberately took in many lodgers, who may have faced discrimination in finding a room - young men from Nigeria, Oman and Malaysia, who came here to study and became a part of the thriving family. Shopping, cooking and cleaning for an average of nine, Hilda still found time to volunteer in the community. She was a volunteer for Ashmount school for children with special educational needs. There, she met Aitun, through one of her children, Nezam. Hilda became a great advocate for and friend of Aitun and her family - and got many curries and much love in return!

She also found the time to support Mike Grove, a teacher on dialysis who had gone blind at an early stage in life.

Hilda went on to work part time at the Royal National Institute for the Blind College in Loughborough.

Shortly following this, Hilda became a founder member and stalwart of the Storer and Ashby Area Residents’ Group (SARG), formed over 20 years ago. Goodness knows how many planning meetings she attended, along with Loughborough Campus and Community Liaison Group (LCCLG) meetings, as well as its predecessor.

What she didn’t know about planning wasn’t worth knowing! Although she hadn’t been involved in the nuts and bolts of SARG for a while, she still kept an eye on what was happening. Her friendship and common-sense approach will certainly be missed.

Hilda took an interest in many aspects of the life of the town. She was a member the Patient Participation Group at the Charnwood Community Medical Group. In her spare time, (hard to believe she had any) Hilda enjoyed taking part in amateur dramatic productions, often taking on leading roles.

Hilda died as she had lived – with an indisputable sense of what was right and wrong. She determinedly refused any medicines she distrusted and foods she disliked until the very end; even when she could no longer talk!

One of Loughborough’s ‘greats’, Hilda will be missed by many people.

Hilda and John took a stand against racism. They deliberately took in many lodgers, who may have faced discrimination in finding a room