Mon Feb 19 2024

Mary Dimbleby. 04.12.62 — 31.01.24. RIP.

Mary was one in a million and a very special lady.
As a Club volunteer Mary was a Coach, Team Manager, Development Officer, Assistant Membership Secretary, Merchandiser and was awarded Vice President for
her services to the Club.

Initially, Mary was just a mum sitting in the cafeteria having brought daughters Caitlin and Sophie to the Kestrels when in conversation with Gillian L, her interest in T&F Athletics was evident having been a junior athlete herself as a teenager.

Persuading Mary to qualify as a Coach seemed the natural thing for GL to suggest and Mary agreed to the challenge, regardless of her disability. Both daughters were very keen and happy in the Kestrels and so in 2008, all three joined K&P as a family.

As well as training as a Coach, Mary went on to become TM for the Lily B and was joined by Julie R in this joint role. JR describes Mary as a pleasure to work with, always with a smile on her face and a hug to give. They enjoyed great success with the Lily B Teams, gaining 3 League Cup wins which JR regards was due to Mary’s gentle and lovely way to encourage girls to fill most of the events at every match. Mary would always try to help, find a solution in a sensitive and practical way to everyone’s personal problems or on any general athletics related issues. It was clear that Mary was a person who really cared about everyone she worked with.

Richard H adds that Mary was a positive, effective and lovely influence at the track, coaching a group of adult sprinters for a number of years with Pat L for Momentum Sports, and she became an instrumental part of the developing Coaching structure.

PL describes the qualities which made Mary a person with whom everyone felt comfortable, particularly her desire to understand other people and help them.

She had the patience and emotional intelligence to let some of our headstrong teenagers share their views and gently steer them to look at other options without ever making them feel inferior. This made Mary a natural Coach who never judged or criticised and who offered sound advice that was always worth listening to.

She will be sorely missed by Members of her Training Group because of her wisdom, kindness, tolerance and her ability to make them feel good about themselves.

Everyone in the Training Groups respected Mary and when cancer struck over 3 years ago, her special toughness, inner strength and resilience shone through to allow her to continue working and coaching as normal, despite harrowing and debilitating treatment, and for as long as she could.

Throughout this time Mary was never heard to complain or even mention her problems, and her bravery was inspirational to all.

All of us in the wider Club share these feelings and remember Mary with immense respect and gratitude for all she did for us and her dedication and loss is deeply felt by all who knew her.

We send our heartfelt condolences to Mary’s husband Andrew, and daughters Caitlin and Sophie.

RH/GLL/PHL/JR.