SHEILA PICKLES

SHEILA PICKLES 1932—2024. 

Members were sad to learn of the passing of Sheila on January 18th 2024. Sheila first came to the notice of Bradford Rotary Club members at our Spring Bank Place meetings where she helped Andrew and Dawn serve our lunches. Always cheerful and efficient, her interest in Rotary ideals soon found her helping with our supermarket collections and other projects to add to her work for the Samaritans. When she retired, we did not hesitate to make her an Honorary Member, a Paul Harris Fellow and she was a regular at our weekly meetings. She was delighted to have the opportunity to address the club to tell us about her trip to New Zealand. We know she valued her membership of Rotary and her new friendships. We remember her smile and cheerful personality, her eagerness to help the community and the adventurous spirit that led to her to take a parachute jump for the sheer excitement of it. The funeral service was held at Christ Church, Windhill on Tuesday 6th February, at 1.45pm. Sheila was a delightful lady and we extend our sympathy to all her family and friends. Editor JFP.

A memory of Rotarian Sheila Pickles I was fortunate having been able to attend Sheila’s funeral at a packed Christchurch, Shipley. During the service, the Rev. Malcolm Hendry announced that they were going to try something a little different, an open mic session where if anyone wanted to, they could stand up and say a few words. The main Eulogy had been delivered by Sheila’s Grandson in law and Granddaughter featuring many family stories. In the Open Mic bit, a lady from the Church gave a long outline of Sheila’s life at the Church, staring out as a Sunday School Teacher and more recently overseeing the church hall renovation project and designing the church kitchen and more. Then going on to tell us about Sheila’s long and dedicated service for the Samaritans. Other family members told us of more early days in the Church and a visit to see her younger Brother in New Zealand. Up to that point no one had mentioned anything about the Sheila I knew. I jumped up, I declared that I had known her for over twenty-five years, first meeting her at Springbank Masonic Hall, Bradford where she was head waitress of a small team of silver service waitresses who worked the dining room with slick professionalism no matter how many where present. Always with a warm friendly smile and a kind word here and there. She went on to work at Hoyle Court and later at the Bradford Club. I then told everyone that Sheila was an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Bradford, a stalwart attendee of the club for many years. She really enjoyed her Rotary and latterly gave a talk on her visit to see her brother in New Zealand. I didn’t but should have told everyone that Sheila was a Paul Harris Fellow., a high honour in Rotary. I could have told them about the time I joined Sheila at a Supermarket Collection at Asda, on Cemetery Road, Bradford. She knew everyone who came through the door and so was our secret weapon as shoppers were ‘sucked into her presence’ handing over their hard-earned cash and totally ignoring me. After a while she handed me her full and heavy bucket in exchange for my empty bucket, soon filling that one as well. She told me that I must be putting people off and they were naturally attracted to ‘the smiling little old lady’. I could also have told them about the time Sheila joined our regular litter pick at Undercliffe Cemetery. After we had cleaned the area around the cenotaph, we moved off together to litter pick the outer edges of the Cemetery. Coming to a steep and slippery slope, we could see at the bottom a large amount of wind strewn litter covering a prickly bush. I did a quick risk assessment and decided it was too dangerous to climb down. Sheila thought otherwise and said the bush looked a mess, I agreed with her and telling her to stay at the top. I gingerly descended the slope and eventually began litter picking the bush. To my utmost surprise, Sheila came down the slope behind me, saying ‘if you can do it, so can I’. Having litter picked the bush we then began the slippery climb back up, this time with bags of litter in our hands. One step up three slid down and so on until we were only halfway up, both laughing at ourselves. Our laughter got louder when I declared, ‘Sheila, this is another fine pickle, you have got me into’. We reached the top and look back at our fantastic little cleaning job. I did tell the congregation this little story, that is one day after Rotary I followed Sheila, as she drove home to Shipley. I was surprised when she turned into the Asda car park in Shipley as I too was heading there. Sheila took a large trolley and was off like some mad supermarket trolley dash. I, taking a small trolley, entered at a leisurely speed. Later in the supermarket near the bread aisle our paths crossed, Sheila’s trolley was overflowing with groceries. My goodness, I said, Sheila, I thought you lived alone. I do she replied, but my family have moved in and are eating me out of house and home. She said it with a smile as I know she loved having her family close by. The Sheila I knew always put others first and was the epitome of a good Rotarian with putting service before self. May she Rest in Peace. Chris Binns.