School staff don their cowboy boots to walk in memory of much-loved Billingham teacher

Kathryn Taylor was loved by staff and students at Billingham's St Michael's Academy

A lucky 13 are pulling on their cowboy boots in the hope of raising as much money as possible for the Stockton hospice which helped their friend and colleague in her last days of life.

Kathryn Taylor tragically died at Butterwick Hospice on January 7 this year aged just 53 - only three months after being told she was terminally ill.

Mum-of-two Kathryn had already been given the all-clear once, but sadly her cancer returned.

The mum to Anna, 28, and Julia, 25, and step-mum to Jonathon, had met her second husband Martin after the pair both lost their first spouses to cancer.

Now Kathryn’s colleagues at St Michael’s Academy in Billingham, where Kathryn was a much-loved special needs co-ordinator (Senco) are set to walk 10k around Stockton’s Riverside in her memory with the Butterwick Hospice Western Walk.

Staff past and present at St Michael's Academy, Billingham, who are taking part in the Butterwick Hospice Western Walk, Teesside.

Fiona Lodge, acting Senco and English teacher at St Michael’s said: “Kathryn was my mentor and she was an amazing person.

“Her whole family has been so badly affected by cancer so we wanted to do something for her.

“She was so philosophical about the whole thing though - she was just that type of person. She was given the all-clear in September, but was then told she was terminally ill in October.

“She was such an inspiration to everybody.

“Kathryn had such a quirky personality, everybody loved her. She loved sheep - we’re not sure why - and loved silly jokes. But she was also a forceful, strong personality and would stand up for people. One of our Year 11 pupils said ‘You could always turn to her, she always had time for people’.

“Kathryn was so well thought of by the pupils she worked with that one boy organised some cake sales when she was poorly - three students got involved and they raised £400.”

That money helped pay for Kathryn and her family to go on one last trip together, to London.

Step-son Jonathon said: “We all went and saw The Lion King together, Kathryn’s choice of course.”

Also taking part in the Western Walk with Fiona on Saturday, July 5, are Linda Roberts, Patsy Wilcox, Julie Barrett, Ann-Marie Grant, Andrea Jackson, Margaret Ridley, Helen Finn, Rita Finn, Sara Bell, Juliett Richardson, Val Stephenson and Jan Geoghan.

The walk is a themed version of the annual Midnight Walk, and begins at 10pm. Entertainment will also be on offer at the event, with The Voice 2013 finalist Mike Ward performing.

To find out more visit http://ift.tt/1pdAOpg , or to sponsor the St Michael’s team, visit http://ift.tt/1pdAOFu.