AN appeal has been launched to install a memorial garden and plaque in memory of a woman at the site of a community centre.

Mum-of-one Susan Marsh, who lived in a flat on Spa Road, Atherton, inspired a group of children between the ages of 10 and 14 in 1971 to collect signatures from houses on the Hag Fold estate for a petition to build a community centre.

Susan, who was 21 at the time, was presented with a petition of around 1,000 signatures before it was given to Cllr Derek Skitt.

The Hag Fold Community Centre, which is now known as “The Bridge” at Dorset Road Community Centre, was opened five years later in 1976 by Wigan mayor Cllr G MacDonald.

Susan, who was honourary secretary on the centre’s committee, died suddenly at the age of 30 on Christmas Eve in 1980.

Members of “The Bridge” have set up a crowdfunding appeal to raise funds to fit a memorial garden and plaque at the site.

Susan’s daughter Vicky Marsh, 47, who was nine when her mum died, said: “I was overwhelmed and emotional when I found out about the appeal.

“I have lived most of my life without my mum but I have been told about the work she has done in the community and the garden and plaque would be a nice way of remembering her.”

Susan, who went to Leigh Girls’ Grammar School, trained as a pharmacist and worked at Lankro Chemicals in Eccles.

At the time of her death she was employed in the quality control department of the old Barrs soft drinks factory on North Road in Atherton.

“The Bridge” chair Norman Bradbury is part of a group that has researched the history of the community centre at Leigh Town Hall to trace Susan’s work.

He said: “Susan’s contribution was invaluable to the community and it should never be forgotten.

“We would not be here more than 40 years later if it wasn’t down to what she did.”

To donate to the crowdfunding appeal visit bit.ly/2LfifxS.

The names of the children who collected the names on the Hag Fold estate for the petition are: 

Michael Donelan 

Thomas Hook 

John Carden 

Vincent Treaner 

Corinne Leyland 

Loraine Hupton

Elaine Molyneaux

Sandra Porter

Christopher Bellis 

Michael Riley

Neil Woods 

John Fisher 

Stephen Pugh 

Paul Barrington 

Cyril Jenkins

Yvonne Carden

Dianne Balmer