Champion rafter dies suddenly at 58
THE family of a wellknown rafting enthusiast has paid tribute to her following her sudden death.
Janet Spiers-Alston, 58, from Bosley, was a muchloved member of Macclesfield Rafters - a successful team in the 1980s and 1990s.
She passed away after collapsing while at the gym and her funeral will be at Bosley St Mary’s Church on Monday, March 16.
Janet had been captain of the Macclesfield Rafters ladies’ team, leading it to victory in the River Wye 100 Mile Raft Race in 1989.
The following year she repeated the triumph and - such was her ability - also became the first woman to be part of the winning team in the men’s version of the event.
Husband Julian Alston, 53, said: “What inspired Janet right up to the end was the community stuff and doing things for people.
”She was fit, strong and lived life to the full, you could not hold her down. She was a great outdoors person.
”People will remember her as someone who never had a bad word about anyone and a really community spirited person.
”She hated conflict, she wanted everyone to get on and have a good quality of life, she’d always say, ‘just be yourself and be your best’.”
Janet was born in Bishop’s Stortford and moved to Tytherington aged six. Her dad died when she was a small child, but Julian says she nonetheless idolised him.
She spent more than 30 years working at AstraZenca, previously ICI, and wrote reports for drug submissions.
Based at both the Alderley Park and Macclesfield sites, she was a regular sight on the roads cycling to work.
Janet was also a talented swimmer, fluent Spanish speaker and helped organise Bosley Fell Race.
But her real passion was rafting and with the club Janet helped raise money for causes including the Rossendale Trust, David Lewis Centre and Macclesfield Hospital. Further success on the water came when she was the first woman to win the British Rafting Championships on the River Severn.
Macclesfield Rafters no longer exists but former member Phil Anderson said: “Janet was a force of nature.
“They were great times and we were a great team, we won or lost as a team.”
Janet also leaves behind daughters Charlotte and Abigail and step-son Robert.
Her funeral service is scheduled to take place at 1.30pm.