Nell Whittingham obituary

My friend Nell Whittingham, who has died aged 96, relished adventure. When her husband Barrie’s career took their family to Zambia in the 1960s they had a Piper Tri-Pacer aircraft and flew the Flying Doctor service – Nell also helped with weather reports and logistics. In the 70s they lived in Swaziland and Sudan, then Nigeria, where Nell set up a weather station to monitor wind for the Savannah Sugar Factory. During a stint in Papua New Guinea, she renovated a dug-out canoe and sailed in shark-infested waters. In 1980 Nell and Barrie moved to Foggathorpe, East Yorkshire, where she discovered the 11th-century Norman church of All Saints, Aughton, where later she became churchwarden for more than 30 years. In the 80s Nell gained a certificate in social studies at Hull University, then a degree in social policy and administration, and master’s degrees in care for the elderly, and managing change. She then worked (1989-91) as unit manager for Bridlington Mental Health Resource Base, and resource manager (1991-92) for Grimsby Mental Health Resource Base. She won the East Riding of Yorkshire council chairman’s community award, and in 2020 was awarded Maundy Money from Queen Elizabeth II

Jul 22, 2026 → Jul 22, 2026