Vera’s life of helping others

A FORMER Woman of Oldham who dedicated her life to helping others has died.

British Cross stalwart Vera Read (79) ran a skin camouflage clinic at the Royal Oldham Hospital for nine years to help those with scars or disfiguring birthmarks.

The kind-hearted grandmother was 38 when she helped start up a Red Cross branch in Oldham.

She started providing home nursing care for people and later did therapeutic beauty care and manicures and handcare for hospital patients.

She also undertook regular first-aid training and trained others, as well as taking on public duties at events such as the Race for Life.

The widow, of Stratford Avenue, Hathershaw, spent many hours meeting and greeting Kosovan refugees when they arrived at Manchester Airport in 1999.

She was Woman of Oldham in 2000 and received her award at the Avant Hotel.

Mrs Read spent a lot of time at St Paul’s Conservative Club in Hollins Road, where she was a member of the bowling team.