Dorothy Mitchell is the epitome of the old saying that if you want a job doing, give it to a busy person. The inspirational community hero was crowned Rossendale Woman of the Year 2013 at a prestigious awards ceremony attended by ex-government minister, Edwina Currie.
Dorothy received the award at the Red Hall Hotel, Bury, where over 90 of the valley’s finest celebrated the achievements of the area’s outstanding women and raised money for Rossendale Hospice.
She is the founder of many groups and she works full-time in a voluntary capacity for her charitable interests. She was chair of Rossendale Hospice for 17 years and secured funding for research and development and a cancer support programme which is now used nationally.
She set up Haslingden Community Link and Children’s Centre, a first in the voluntary sector. She also formed PEER Support (People Encouraging Enterprise in Rossendale) and Rossendale Enterprise Anchor Limited. Dorothy is vice-chairman of The Community Network Health and Well-being Group and is a member of Bacup and Stacksteads Community Partnership. Incredibly, she was also the driving force behind acquiring the new primary health care centre which houses the hospice. In 2011 she was approached by a national charity to help set up outreach in the North West and Rossendale now leads in the development of Veterans in Communities – a combined civilian and military covenants partnership.
The other finalists, Kate Crane and Louise Cunniff, were presented with bouquets for tireless community work.
Edwina Currie is a big supporter of the hospice movement and was delighted to attend the event, which raised £5000.
