Tree planted to remember Red Cross leader in Boston

The Magnolia Grandiflora was planted at Pilgrims’ Patch, on John Adams Way in memory of Winifred Stirk, known as Wyn, by Garth Hubbert, British Red Cross centre officer and Lorraine Bisby, British Red Cross advanced first aider.

Mr Hubbert, who has been involved in the Red Cross for 30 years, said: “She was a wonderful lady. She was dedicated to the Red Cross and she worked as a volunteer for years. She was a friend to everybody and would help anybody.

“We needed to do something visual because so many people in Boston knew her and knew of her and we felt we needed to put something in place that would be a lasting memory of her.”

Born in 1927, Wyn was, in her later years, the commandant (latterly known as centre organiser) of the British Red Cross Unit in Boston.

She was largely responsible for raising the funds for building the local Red Cross building with the support of the people the town.

Wyn began her association with the organisation by attending the Nottingham Unit with her mother and grandmother at the age of just eight.

She was in charge at Boston for more than 50 years and attended unit meetings until a few weeks before her death in April of last year.

The Magnolia Grandiflora is a specimen which was popular with the Victorians, and organisers say it makes a good choice for Pilgrims’ Patch which was formerly a large Victorian garden.

It is a broad conical shaped tree has glossy dark green leaves producing goblet shaped creamy flowers, which are highly fragrant, from late summer to early autumn.