TRIBUTES have been paid to an Oswestry woman who dedicated her life to supporting young people through teaching and sport.

Doreen Leggatt died aged 90 on October 7, and was a former teacher at Queen’s Park School as well as a founding member of Oswestry Otters and was the only female life member at the town’s cricket club.

She was also secretary for Oswestry and District Sports Council from 1976 and stayed on that for 45 years as it merged with the Sports Forum and was also a swimming teacher.

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Daughter Rachel Cutler, with siblings Susan and Andrew, said that Doreen was a mum to many, including international students across schools in Oswestry, including her own pupils at Queen’s Park.

“She supported so many children in sport, and especially swimming where she was a teacher herself,” said Rachel.

“She worked hard to make sure every child knew how to swim which is a life skill.

“She dedicated her life to young people – she was a school teacher as well at Queen’s Park.

Doreen Leggatt on her 90th birthday last year.Doreen Leggatt on her 90th birthday last year. (Image: Rachel Cutler.)

“The tributes we’ve had, people saying how much mum and dad impacted on what they became as people is huge.

“One in particular was Janice who was from Liberia and the only holiday she didn’t come to us was the summer when she went back home.

“She is still a big member of our family and is flying back from the States for the funeral – that’s the impact our mum had on her.

“The Queen’s Park girls have been amazing, telling us stories about like when mum took them home on Shrove Tuesday because they couldn’t make pancakes.

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“Mum was guardian for children at other schools, mainly people from Hong Kong.”

Rachel added that as recently as 2022, she, Andrew and Susan all managed to have a ‘day with mum’ at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

And she added that while she was proud of her children, they were equally proud of her.

She said: “We are all so very proud of her – nothing was ever too much trouble for her.

Doreen Leggatt died last week aged 90 with tributes paid by her family. Doreen Leggatt died last week aged 90 with tributes paid by her family. (Image: Rachel Cutler.)

“She helped all of us especially with our children when we needed support and was always at the end of the phone.

“Mum was a widow for more than 20 years but she carried on with life after our dad John died, and she was very proud of us too.

“When the Commonwealth Games were on, she came down to see me officiating in the pool.

“All four of us – mum and her three children – went to see England versus India in the cricket and it was like mum took us out for the day.

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“That was the last time all of us went with mum and she loved watching cricket, and would go wherever she could.

“She loved sport and spent this summer watching the Olympics.”

Doreen's funeral will be held at St Oswald’s Church in Church Street on Friday, November 29 with a family-only cremation before a celebration of her life at Oswestry Cricket Club.