Brighouse centre bids Holly farewell after 40 years

In recognition of her exemplary service at the centre and the wider Brighouse community, the trustees have appointed her honorary president, only the second person to have been appointed to this position since the rest centre was first established in 1950.

Holly was initially “volunteered” for the role of secretary to the management committee by her late husband, Jack Bottomley, former Brighouse Mayor.

Drawing on her business background, Holly was soon to be elected chair of trustees in 1988, a position she has held to this day.

However, it has not gone un-noticed that Holly has always been prepared to support the centre in any capacity and, as she would say, been more than prepared “to muck-in and do anything”.

Over the years the rest centre has been recognised for a number of accolades including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service in the Community and the HRH Duke of York’s Community Initiative Award for Community Service with Holly personally receiving the Community Initiative Award for Outstanding Community Leadership.

Holly’s last official duty was to receive, on behalf of the rest centre, a donation from the former Mayor of Calderdale, Howard Blagbrough, whose 2016/17 charity appeal included the rest centre as a beneficiary.

This, together with an anonymous donation of £1,000 from a regular attendee at the rest centre, was used to fully upgrade both the male and female facilities over the Christmas period.

“Having given so much to support the rest centre‘s central aim of promoting and assisting in the well-being of Brighouse’s older generation, Holly will be deeply missed,” a rest centre spokesperson said.