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David Coates

Former GFTU Executive member and official in the

Furniture Timber and Allied Trades Union which

merged eventually with the GMB David was of the very

strongest English stock, firm and unbending, solid as

oak and a lifelong advocate for his union and the GFTU.

He became a Labour councillor in Kent in later life and

long after retirement retained an interest in our affairs.

David was always pleased to see progress at the GFTU

and General Secretary Doug Nicholls recalls him as: “one

of the very best. The GFTU was a bit stuffy sometimes

in the mid-nineties, but I will never forget the warm

welcome David gave to my union when we joined the

federation, he was keen to find out about a new affiliate

and make us feel at home with a joke and excellent

company. He had stamina in all ways, as a long distance

runner and as someone who had seen so much and

fought for so much he could see us through any

difficult situation. As sharp as a plane iron.”

Tributes

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TRIBUTES

Davey Hopper

Legendary leader of the Durham Miners’ and inveterate

organiser of the Big Meet, Davey Hopper was also a

great friend of the GFTU. He strongly supported our

efforts to rekindle trade union links with Vietnam and

attended our London public meeting with several

Vietnamese colleagues. Davey of course helped us

massively with our exhibition of John Harris’s wonderful

pictures of the miners’ strike when we were at the

Liverpool TUC and he made a speech there that few

will forget and which moved everyone in the packed

audience. Dave also fully supported our work to create

greater awareness about ESNA and attended all of our

seminars in London with them. Davey ensured that the

GFTU took its place on the platform of the Gala and

became a friend of our General Secretary. The General

Secretary represented the Federation at Davey’s funeral.

In Davey’s memory we hope all those who have never

been to the gala will turn out this July.

Carole Adair

We all remember Carole Adair President of the AEP with

great affection, here is the tribute paid to her by AEP

General Secretary Kate Fallon.

“Carole was committed to the AEP – she was elected to

its National Executive Committee nearly 20 years ago –

she was a staunch advocate of its trade union principles

and professional aims, being equally concerned about

promoting the wellbeing of children and young people

as she was of educational psychologists.

She could be a formidable operator, enjoying great

respect amongst colleagues from across the trade

union movement, but particularly in Northern Ireland,

where she will be remembered for many years as the

champion for educational psychology and educational

psychologists.

She took her role as the AEP’s Representative for NI

extremely seriously and professionally – she was

passionate about Northern Ireland - and, subsequently,

demonstrated the same as both vice President and

President.

During the last year we all watched her exercising the

office of president with integrity and leadership – trying

to manage psychologists is said to be rather like herding

cats – imagine trying to chair the profession’s executive

committee - but Carole rose to the challenge!

She was an attentive listener, immediately impressing

others by her astute and intelligent approach to complex

issues – she had a light touch, but good touch approach

to difficult situations, never allowing them to get the

better of her, whilst remaining tenacious in pursuing

what she believed to be right.

I asked a number of people to share their thoughts

about Carole – they all spoke about her intelligence,

her professionalism, her commitment but they also all

mentioned her humour, her great sense of fun, her dry

wit – you didn’t spend long with Carole without there

being some laughter – if there is such a word as well

roundedness then that would be the word to describe

her. Conversations would soon extend to talk about

travel and her adventures, her love of singing and the

choir’s activities and, of course her beloved children and

grandchildren – we felt that we knew you all – I even

attempted, on one occasion, to imitate Carole imitating

Annie Rose imitating Kirsti’s Northern Irish accent. I failed

miserably!“

After National Executive Committee meetings we would

often all go out to have a drink and eat together –

where Carole demonstrated yet another passion – she

would only ever drink New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

which was often the most expensive white wine in the

restaurant or bar so we were in the process of trying to

persuade her to try other drinks.

We will miss Carole Adair – educational psychology in

Northern Ireland and the AEP will be much poorer for

our loss but today we celebrate and remember and give

thanks for the contribution she made to all our lives –

and we may do the same later, with a glass of sauvignon

blanc – New Zealand of course! “