Charity gets £10k in memory of teacher
Students have raised over £10,000 in memory of their teacher who died of ovarian cancer.
Students have raised over £10,000 in memory of their teacher who died of ovarian cancer.
Gill Harris worked at Bristnall Hall Technology College in Oldbury for nearly 30 years.
Mrs Harris lost her battle with the disease in August aged just 51. Yesterday, former colleagues and pupils presented a cheque for £10,477.67 at the school to Peter Reynolds, chief executive of the charity Ovarian Cancer Action.
Paula Barrie, deputy director of PE and art at the school, in Bristnall Hall Lane, and a close friend of Mrs Harris's, said: "Gill unknowingly touched so many people, she was a very quiet person but at her funeral hundreds of people turned up, she had so many friends."
The school originally set a £5,000 target but more than doubled it.
More than 200 pupils held a sponsored row, using 14 rowing machines, while another 80 pupils and staff held a sponsored line dance.
The mission was inspired by Mrs Harris's love of sport and extreme competitions. She claimed the title of fastest woman home, after covering 50 miles and ascending 8,000ft over eight summits in the Long Mynd Hike in October 2007.
She was a member of Birchfield Harriers athletics club, a keen rafter, an extreme skier and conquered some of the world's toughest mountain peaks.
Gill set the Peris Horseshoe Welsh mountain race over 50s record, the Long Mynd Hike Ladies record and won the mixed trophy on the Original Mountain Marathon course, all during her illness and between courses of chemotherapy.
She discovered her love of mountains whilst studying for A-levels in the sixth form at West Bromwich Grammar School when she was introduced to rock climbing.
As he collected the cheque, Mr Reynolds said: "As a charity we rely on people putting in vast amounts of effort like this to fund us. Our main aim is to set up the first dedicated ovarian cancer research centre and this money will go towards that."
Mrs Harris lived in Great Barr until 1997, when she moved with her husband Phil to live near Church Stretton.
Mr Harris also collected £4,700 for ovarian cancer at his wife's funeral.
