After retiring from her role in Study Support as an Education Support Worker, Anne reflects on her family’s close ties with Runshaw.
My sister Gillian Watson’s association with Runshaw College began in 1975, as one of the second cohort of students to join the college, where she studied A Levels in Maths, Further Maths and Physics.
After completing University, my sister rejoined Runshaw in 1982 as a member of the teaching team, starting off teaching both Maths and Computing but focusing on Computing from the following year. She recalls that at this time Runshaw had very few computing resources having only 2 Commodore ‘Pets’. In the 35 years she taught at Runshaw the number of computers increased considerably along with an increase in the Teaching Staff and the addition of the IT Technical Support Team!
However, she wasn’t the first family member to be part of the Runshaw family, our mum Elsie, was Chemistry Lab Technician from the college’s opening in 1974 to 1988. In 2003 I (Anne Wilmer) became an ESW in Study Support, working across all three Runshaw sites over the years, and continued in this role until 2022.
Gillian’s daughter Katie and my daughter Debbie both studied A Levels at Runshaw, each of them progressing on to University. Katie graduated with a degree in Outdoor Studies and is currently Centre Lead at an Outdoor Pursuits Centre in the Lake District. Whilst my daughter went on to complete her PGCE and currently teaches in a Primary School.
My retirement at the end of May 2022 ends our family’s continuous association with the college since its opening in 1974, but Gillian has four grandchildren and who knows in the future one or all of them may become part of the Runshaw Community.
– Anne Wilmer, Education Support Worker 2003 – 2022
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