Flood of tributes for health veteran Mary

Mary Firth: tributes

The driving force behind the Royal Oldham Hospital’s £1 million MRI scanner appeal has died aged 85.

Mary Firth OBE was best known as chair of the NHS Trust and formed a formidable partnership with the late Gloria Oates, who served alongside her as chief executive.

Councillor Riaz Ahmad, who worked alongside Mrs Firth on the NHS Trust board, said: “I was always very impressed with Mrs Firth’s drive and passion for the NHS and for the people of Oldham. She worked extremely hard and played a big part in making the Royal Oldham Hospital what it is now.

“We owe her a huge amount of gratitude for the ambition and commitment she gave us. I had the absolute pleasure and privilege to work alongside her and I learned so much from her.”

Former councillor and mayor John Battye met Mrs Firth when he was head of blood transfusion services in the Royal Oldham Hospital’s pathology laboratory and became a NHS Trust board member when she was chairman.

He said: “I think Mary’s lasting legacy is raising £1 million for the scanner appeal, which I believe paved the way for the Christie Centre we now have in Oldham. She was also very active within the Red Cross and spent her life working on behalf of health causes. If Mary saw that something needed doing, she made sure it was done.”

Mrs Firth, a mother of three and a grandmother of five, lived in Grasscroft before moving to Warburton Court, Uppermill. She served as a High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, president of the Red Cross Society and a Justice of the Peace.

She had many close ties with the NHS as her father and her first husband Gilbert Campbell were GPs as are her three children Catherine, James and Margaret.

The former Hulme Grammar School pupil was an active member of the Conservative Party and served as president of the Oldham East and Saddleworth group and chair of the Greater Manchester group.

Mrs Firth got involved with a host of community groups and charities including Saddleworth Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Guides Association, the Halle Orchestra, Henshaw’s Society for the Blind and Alcohol and Drug Services.

Funeral details are yet to be announced.