A Shap woman, well known for her involvement in the local community, has died aged 75.
Val Hale was brought up in Bridgwater, Somerset, where she lived with her mum, sister Angela and grandparents. She passed the 11-plus and attended Bridgwater Grammar School for Girls, where she attained A-levels in English, Latin and Greek.
After leaving school, she worked at the Somerset County Library for four years, where she made several lifelong friends. However, it was always her goal to become a teacher and, in 1970, she left Somerset to undertake a four-year Bachelor of Education degree at Endsleigh College in Hull. It was there she met her soon-to-be husband Dennis, and they married in 1974.
In the same year, they moved to Cumbria, and bought their first house in Shap — where their only furniture was two drawers and a plank as a table, and the back seat out of the car to sit on!
Val was never afraid to tackle any job; in 1981, they bought an old farmhouse in Keld, near Shap, and set about the mammoth task of renovating the house and other outbuildings — where they ran The Buttermarket Café and craft shop at weekends from 1987 to 1989.
In 1974, Val started teaching at Tynefield Girls’ School in Penrith — which later merged with the Ullswater Boys’ School to become Ullswater Community College. She taught humanities, Latin and sociology, and worked there full-time until 1990, when her daughter Katie was born.
Afterwards, she continued to work at UCC part-time, and also taught Latin and sociology evening classes, until her retirement in 2009. Val loved books and spending time in the garden. She also enjoyed tennis — particularly when Roger Federer was playing. Since retiring, she enjoyed travelling to support the GB team in the Davis Cup.
With various family and friends, she travelled to five of the world’s seven continents — though a particular favourite was Portugal’s Algarve, where she celebrated her 75th birthday with Dennis, Katie, and daughter-in-law Loren.
Val was a key member of the Shap community. Over the years, her many activities included running cub scouts with husband Dennis and being an active member of Shap Football Club fundraising committee and Shap School PTA. She also helped organise Highlights performances in the village hall and co-ran Shap Sunday School for several years.
She was a member of St Michael’s PCC and Action Group, for whom she helped raise thousands of pounds, through setting quizzes, organising the village garden trail and garage sale, and helping at coffee mornings. In addition, she volunteered for Second Chance charity shop, which raises money for Shap Community Enterprise.
Val enjoyed organising events which brought people together, and the house in Keld was always a welcoming place, from entertaining friends and family to hosting village garden parties for events including the coronation and jubilees.
Val was diagnosed with cancer in July. She died peacefully at home. A service of thanksgiving will be held at St Michael’s Church, Shap, at 1pm on Friday, 26th January. People are invited to wear bright colours in celebration of Val’s life.
Family flowers only are requested, but, if desired, donations in memory of Val may be made to St Michael’s Church and Shap Community Enterprise, and can be left at the service or sent c/o Glyn Jones & Son, 12 Battlebarrow, Appleby CA16 6XS.
