Some sad news. On December 2nd 2024 Lesley Auger passed away, in Dr Kershaw’s Hospice in Oldham. She had been ill with cancer since mid-October. I visited her two days earlier and she asked me to pass on her thanks for the kind messages, cards and flowers that she had received. Lesley was a dedicated primary school teacher, working at St Paul’s CE and Mense Lea, and an NUT/NEU member and political activist for her entire career. She was a councillor in Stockport, representing the Heaton Mersey ward.
She served Salford NEU for two long terms as the Branch/Association Secretary and as a National Executive Committee member of the NUT, representing Greater Manchester. She was very proud to be elected the union’s National President, chairing the National Conference in Harrogate. Apart from visiting National union districts, she represented the Union in America, Canada,Ethiopia, Australia and several European countries as part of our membership of the ETUC. Lesley was an elected member of the TUC General Council, where she championed women’s and LGBT rights. Lesley was already to stand up for fair treatment and to those ends supported and represented many Salford teachers with skill and distinction. She was also a great fun colleague, as she loved to sing, mimic, dance and she could do a wonderful “Joyce Grenville” teacher party piece. She will be sadly missed.
(Judith Elderkin)
