Italian town honours Oldham gran

Jean Gatley - recognised in a “Hidden Excellence” ceremony in Italy for her work at the Voluntary Blood Donors Association

A GRANDMOTHER of four from Oldham has been honoured in an Italian ceremony for her voluntary work.

Jean Gatley (74), who now lives in the Italian town of Termoli on the Adriatic coast, was recognised in a “Hidden Excellence” ceremony and received a commemorative plaque.

The former local blood donor joined the Termoli blood donors also as soon as she arrived. After a few years of giving blood and plasma, she started working at the Voluntary Blood Donors Association in Termoli and became its secretary in 1996. Though she retired in 2000, she continues to volunteer for the association.

Her plaque reads: “To Jean Gatley, a woman of extraordinary intelligence who has preferred love and family to a career, representing the heights of values in the course of her life.”

She said: “I was amazed and extremely pleased. I never expected anything of the kind.

“As you can imagine this was a very special moment for me.”