Tributes to South Anston MBE fundraiser who dedicated her life to helping others

Jackie Scott, aged 82, who dedicated her life to raising money for charity and helping others died on February 4.

As a fitting tribute family and friends, determined to keep her legacy alive, have decided to make her funeral a ‘final fundraiser’ in her name.

Mrs Scott, who was still collecting money for charity just days before her death, raised £24,000 for ‘Action for Children’ over a 60 year period. She also helped numerous other causes including the food bank at The Citadel in Dinnington as well as Alzheimer’s and breast cancer charities.

Her funeral service will take place on Friday March 1 at 1.15pm at South Anston Methodist Church – a church for which fittingly she helped raise the £10,000 needed for a new roof.

As well as donations for Action For Children at the funeral there will also be a collection point at church for tinned and dried food and UHT milk for the food bank.

For decades Mrs Scott collected food donations from across the region and delivered them to the food bank at The Citadel to help families in need of a little extra help.

Proud daughter Nicola Scope said: “She wanted to help anyone and everybody she could, she was determined to do her bit to make the world a better place.

“She hated injustice and hated the thought of children and families in this day and age not having enough to eat, it used to break her heart so that motivated her to not just raise money but roll up her sleeves and get stuck in and do whatever she could to help.

"She was fierce and strong and kind and loyal and would do anything to help you. Every day of her childhood she lived in poverty and was hungry so when she was in a position to help others that was her driving force.

"Even into her 80s people who were in their 40s or 50s would come and drop off food parcels at my mum’s for her to take to the food bank and I’d say mum can’t someone else take them over for you and she wouldn’t hear of it, she said if I don’t do it no one else will. She wanted to do everything and anything in her power to help other people.”

Mrs Scott was so well respected for her charity and community work that she once received an envelope with £400 in cash from an anonymous person simply stating “Jackie, for the food bank”

Nicola said: “That just tells you everything you need to know, whoever posted that knew my mum would make sure every single penny went to the food bank to help.”

As well as her selfless charity work Mrs Scott was also known for her keen sense of humour and even made Prince William laugh when he was awarding her an MBE in 2017.

Nicola said: “Prince William said Jackie I understand you’ve been doing a lot of charity work and she said ‘oooh I see you’ve done your homework’ and it made him laugh.

"At the ceremony when they played God Save the Queen my mum was the only person out of a room of 400 singing, when the song finished she turned to the others and said ‘do you lot not know the words?’ We couldn’t stop laughing about it but she said once she’d started singing she couldn’t just stop so she sang the whole thing.

"She was hilarious, we would laugh so much when we got together, she was so much fun.”

Mother to Nicola and David and grandmother of three Mrs Scott lead a busy life working as a secretary at the pit before moving to South Anston and buying a newsagents shop with devoted husband Ian – with whom she enjoyed a 59 year marriage until his death from Alzheimer’s in 2020.

Jackie loved working in the shop and meeting residents before turning her hand to teaching in 1975 – specialising in English and working with children for whom English was a second language.

Mrs Scott worked as a teacher in Kimberworth and Brinsworth, taking the title of ‘teacher of the year’ during her career until she retired at the age of 62.

During her teaching years she also penned four Christmas pantos to avoid having to pay royalties – many of which are still performed at her daughter’s school in Derby to this day.

During her life she also created a number of publications to raise cash for Alzheimer’s Society including a collection of people’s memories of the Queen’s Coronation – always paying for the printing and publication costs out of her own pocket.

Nicola said: “She would always say we don’t sell, we give.”

The funeral will take place on Friday March 1 at 1.15pm at South Anston Methodist Church. Dress code is dark, smart with a pop of colour.All are welcome to join the family at the Red Lion, Todwick at 3.30pm for the wake.Grandaughter Molly Scott has also set up a fundraising page in her honour for Action For Children – more than £800 has already been raised through the page surpassing the £500 target.

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