It was with both great shock and sadness that we recently had to inform both our team at MSC and our wider membership, of the loss of their friend and colleague Gillian Addison. Within a few weeks of Gillian feeling unwell she was diagnosed with aggressive bowel cancer which had already spread. With the support of the wonderful team at Marie Curie, Gillian’s family were able to look after her at home in her final days.
Popular and well known locally, through her involvement with her church, as well as being a classmate of many of the MSC members, Gillian was destined to be a part of the Moray Sports Centre family from the moment, CEO Kathryn met her and decided “I want her on my team”.
Gillian leaves a permanent legacy behind her at MSC, as every day, the team wear a uniform designed by Gillian, whose artistic flare made a work uniform, quirky, modern, and in touch with the centre’s Scottish heritage with the touch of tartan. Gillian had a savvy tech brain on her too, making sense of some of the new systems in place at the centre as well as using her passion for music, to get the sound system up and running.
The thoughts of the team here are with her family, and especially her husband Alan, with whose help, we will be choosing an appropriate memorial to install at the centre in memory of Gillian and the amazing presence she was as part of our front of house team.
To raise funds for this, we’re running an event, with proceeds being split between a memorial for Gillian and a donation to Marie Curie whose nurses were such a valuable support to the family during Gillian’s final days. These nurses provide not only physical support such as pain management for their patient but also emotional support to family and friends around them.
The event will take place on the 28th of November, the current guidelines around ‘group activities’ mean that we will have to monitor the changing guidance continually. However, we would like to offer 60 spaces for family-friendly tasters of different classes for up to 2-hours. (A preview of the schedule will follow soon).
Everyone of all ages and abilities are welcome whether you are members or non-members. Adults £8 and Children £4. Call now to book 01343 610 670. Details of the event can also be found here on Facebook.
Gillian, thank you for sorting out our tech issues, making sure there is music in our lives, for making us the most stylish sports centre team in Scotland, for being a great member of the team, and for your friendship. You’re very sorely missed.