Memorial event in Alcester for a dedicated teacher Lianne Abbott
THE family of a dedicated south Warwickshire teacher who died from cancer earlier this year are organising a fund-raising coffee morning in her memory in aid of the Shakespeare Hospice.
The family of Lianne Abbott, who died in June aged just 51, have organised the event this Saturday, 7th December, at Our Lady and St Joseph Church Hall, in Alcester, between 10am and 2pm.
Lianne taught geography at Matchborough Academy, then Henley High School and finally Myton School, in Warwick, where her role changed from geography to nurturing students.
She had suffered some health issues in recent times and a blood test in May this year resulted in an urgent hospitalisation in Warwick Hospital where she was diagnosed with an aggressive, untreatable stage 4 lung cancer which led to her sad death on 17th June in the hospital’s ITU surrounded by her children and close family.
Her family said this week that whilst in Warwick Hospital and particularly the ITU, Lianne received exemplary and outstanding care from the doctors and nurses and from the Shakespeare Hospice which greatly eased her suffering and for which she and her family were most grateful.
During her short illness Lianne was supported by all of her family and friends with an almost continual flow of visitors. She even organised an early 18th birthday pizza party for one of her daughters in the ITU.
Her funeral was held at Alcester Catholic Church followed by cremation at Redditch. It was attended by her whole family, many friends, and her past colleagues from her three schools. Subsequently, her close family spread her ashes, and a red rose from each member, in the River Arrow behind her parents’ home in Alcester, close to where she had lived her adult life.
Lianne was born in May 1973 in Chester, despite the family living just over the border in Wales, perhaps demonstrating a determination to be English – a determination that she demonstrated throughout her life.
She attended Hawarden Junior School, but left at the age of 10, following her father’s employment in Asia, to attend Tanglin School, in Singapore (the “British School”), then the Alice Smith School (the “Colonial School”) in Kuala Lumpur before returning to Singapore to the United World College (the “International School”) for high school and baccalaureate education.
The family then moved to San Diego California and Lianne to Exeter University for an honours degree in geography.
A marriage and family ensued with four daughters arriving over the next ten years. They now live with their father in Evesham. Her generous nature was epitomised by her inviting one daughter’s school friend, whose own family was experiencing disruption, to spend a long period living with them.
In the year before her death she was able to buy her dream home in Bidford.
Myton School has created a small garden of remembrance for her in its grounds and established an annual school prize in her memory – the Lianne Abbott Award for the most caring student – which was first presented at the end of the summer term.
