I WOULD like to pay a tribute to Nina Gentle who has died. For the last ten years of her life she spent with Alzheimer’s disease.

Her many friends will remember her as an unassuming, jolly amusing, light hearted lady.

Some of you may recall the formation of the NHS. One of their plans was to provide hospitals for the elderly sick. Here they chose the Victorian Work House (The Grubberd). It was most unsuitable.

The very well loved GP the late Dr Hope Simpson, joined by the then chairman of the UDC, Jack Pady and many other worthy folk formed a league of Watermoor Hospital. Their view was to make The Grubber, hated even then by the elderly, into a more homely place over the years. The history of their works is most admirable but too fulsome for the purpose of my tribute to Nina.

She was one of many, many local people who joined the league. She became secretary and was deeply involved with the behind the scene but important running of the league. She kept full and accurate minutes of the league and took it upon herself to write and thank donators to the funds, especially those who remembered loved ones. These she delivered by hand where possible: And all this writing was done with a most legible hand.

Nina joins the many other people who quietly served out of the lime light.

To her and the others, I believe my old school motor should be their epilogue - “Rather of use than fame”.

CLIFFORD V GOULD

Cirencester