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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! “