Avril Critchley
1934 - 2015 | Sheffield
Avril was a fighter which is why so many loved her. She cared about her community and supported it through many groups and organisations. She was also an amazing naturalist. She joined Sorby Natural History Society while still at school. She learned…
Avril was a fighter which is why so many loved her. She cared about her community and supported it through many groups and organisations. She was also an amazing naturalist. She joined Sorby Natural History Society while still at school. She learned to ring birds in Northumberland, looked after nest boxes in Ecclesall Woods and spent time with her second husband George, an RSPB warden, on North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. For over 20 years she daily recorded the birds in her garden for the British Trust for Ornithology. She was also involved for many years with the Girl Guides, including being their Outdoor Activities Organiser. After retiring from her job as a Special Needs teacher and Deputy Head she joined the Friends of Sheffield Botanical Gardens and also gained an HND in Art and Design. Locally she was well known as a mover and shaker with many community organisations - Totley Residents Association, Friends of Greenoak Park, Friends of Gillfield Wood, Totley History Group and Totley Library - and as a walker with a succession of cocker spaniels. Locally nearly everyone knew Avril. When she was on the warpath about something she was formidable! Even those who sometimes disagreed with her respected her commitment. She has left all her money and house to charities including St Luke's. The hospice looked after Avril beautifully in her last days. Let's honour her memory by raising yet more money for this wonderful caring and skilled facility. Also please share your memories and photos of Avril here. We will miss her.
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Donations
Current total raised
£780.00
GiftAid £47.50
£490.00
Offline Donations
04/12/2015
£40.00
Park Veterinary Hospital
14/09/2015
Avril was a long standing client of the practice and was dedicated to her dogs. She will be greatly missed by the staff as she was such a warm and kind person
£10.00
Anne Smith Mbe
08/09/2015
Anonymous
07/09/2015
Natasha Watkinson
06/09/2015
Anonymous
04/09/2015
Anonymous
04/09/2015
£25.00
+ £6.25 GiftAid
Anonymous
04/09/2015
Andy And Chris Brewster
03/09/2015
We'll miss you very much Avril. You did so much, even in these last months, always thinking of others in your selfless way. We'll do our very best to follow your excellent example and stand up for Nature in Gillfield Wood and beyond.
£10.00
+ £2.50 GiftAid
Paul Hancock
03/09/2015
£25.00
+ £6.25 GiftAid
Allen Miller
02/09/2015
You did a huge amount for Totley and I'm sure you will continue your good work on high
£10.00
+ £2.50 GiftAid
Isabel Hemmings
01/09/2015
A determined woman, independent of mind and spirit! Averill was a great supporter of the library,only recently arranging a plant sale to raise funds. We will miss her.
£10.00
+ £2.50 GiftAid
Anonymous
31/08/2015
£10.00
Dorothy M Prosser
30/08/2015
£10.00
Ann & Alan Lee
28/08/2015
£25.00
+ £6.25 GiftAid
Chris And Dawn Lansdown
27/08/2015
A loving, caring lady
£10.00
+ £2.50 GiftAid
Barbara O'Connor
27/08/2015
£10.00
Matthew Kik
27/08/2015
Met Avril through the Totley Library campaign and she was, as everyone says, a force to be reckoned with. Even through her chemotherapy she was growing plants for a library fundraiser (our most successful to date, raising over £700!) She is missed.
Sally Goldsmith
27/08/2015
Love you Avril.
Thoughts
I remember Avril as my District Commissioner in the Girl Guides and camping at Whitley Woods many many years ago, very happy times where spend around the camp-fire
Added by Margaret Jones - 10/09/2015
The world needs characters, and Avril certainly was a character. She fought tirelessly for her community and she cared deeply for wildlife. A life well lived. R.I.P Avril.
Added by Anne Smith - 08/09/2015
Avril was Chair of the Residents Association when I took over as Editor of the local newsletter. She remained as Chair for many of the years that I was editor and never failed to meet a deadline during that time. Her energy, enthusiasm and interests were many and varied so to deliver a regular detailed editorial was quite impressive. Despite her illness she still had those same qualities and always stopped for a chat while out walking her dog. A true character that will certainly be missed in Totley.
Added by Ian Clarke - 04/09/2015
I knew Avril for about 25yrs and we were on several Committees together such as TRA GOP and Avril and I actually started the History Group in its beginning. When she went away I used to go to her house and walk the dogs for her as George could not walk very far. When we had problems in the area with Youths we would liaise with the Police and have meetings with them in the park to help sort problems out. She was always in the thick of things but when things needed doing BY JOVE she got them done no messing, she would upset quite a few people on the way but this never made any difference. But never the less she will be greatly missed. I have lots of memories of Avril some good and some not so good.
Added by Marlene Marshall - 30/08/2015
There are many things that signified Avril. Feisty. formidable when on a mission, caring when it came to nature and Totley, a bit of a nosy parker always looking around and if she saw something amiss she was on the tail of Sheffield Council and particularly Local councilors. She was like a dog with a bone and would see things through to the end. Councilors must have thought, Oh no it's Mrs Critchley again. I served with Avril on the committee of TRA for five or so years and have seen her in action. We've stood with her to save the old oak tree at the entrance to the park and also in deep snow on Baslow road protesting about the lights up near Broad Carr. On the other hand I used to go to chairobics with her and she was a bit of a giggler as me and her could not do certain moves. Although I did not agree with her all the time on certain issues there is no doubt that she cared deeply about our local community and will be greatly missed. RIP Avril.
Added by Ann Lee - 27/08/2015