Shropshire Star

'We are all so proud of you' - Sheenagh hits a century

Tributes have been flowing into Whitchurch and Malpas as the locally respected doyenne of a worldwide women’s voluntary organisation celebrated her 100th birthday.

By contributor Patricia King
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Sheenagh Bradbury, who lives in Malpas, has held senior positions for Inner Wheel since she joined 66 years ago.

And her personal centenary has been honoured this week by colleagues in her own club and at District level where she has been described as “a pillar of the Inner Wheel family.”

Sheenagh Bradbury (foreground)  with other members of Whitchurch Inner Wheel.
Sheenagh Bradbury (foreground) with other members of Whitchurch Inner Wheel.

Sheenagh was born in Llangollen, and despite being diagnosed with a heart condition, went on to win school tennis trophies and play hockey at county level – described by her Inner Wheel colleague Clair Schafer as “examples of the energy and focus which she applies to everything she does”.

Her early support for local community causes included traveling to Hong Kong to secure a £150,000 donation to the Whitchurch Community Hospital.

In 1959 Sheenagh took her charity work further by joining Inner Wheel, one of the world’s largest voluntary women’s organisations which also has representation at the United Nations. She went on to become the club president in 1970, and her active roles at District level led her to become District Chair in 1974.

She is still a regular member of the Whitchurch club where, at a birthday lunch at Tern Hill Hall, current president Linda Danton told her “Your heart is made of gold and you have a century’s worth of wisdom and experience. You are celebrating a life beautifully lived and you continue to inspire us all.”

The present District Chair, Norma Jukes, added: “Sheenagh, you are the epitome of Inner Wheel at its best... we are all so proud of you.”

Sheenagh Bradbury
Sheenagh Bradbury