Park a fitting legacy to Mike’s work

MOVING tributes have been made to Dunwood Park champion Michael McGrother

HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to a local hero from Shaw who made it his mission to transform Dunwood Park.

Mike McGrother, of Wood End, died on Saturday at the Royal Oldham Hospital after collapsing in Tesco.

The 70-year-old family man had been instrumental in the founding of the Friends of Dunwood Park group, borne out of his family’s love for the park and a dedication of a small group of local residents.

Started with only a £200 grant from the parish council in 2003, Mr McGrother went on to mastermind the application for a £1 million lottery grant, which was won earlier this year, to transform the local park into a top-class community treasure.

Born in Rotherham, he moved to Oldham in his early twenties when he landed a job as a maths teacher at Our Lady’s High School.

After marrying wife Caroline, the couple went on to have four children and adopt three more.

His youngest son, Robin (38), said: “He realised that even though he wasn’t using the park, he thought it should be there for other people to enjoy.

“I found him totally overgenerous and not selfish in any way.

“He was interested in motivating people and bringing them to work together, so it is not like he missed out, he had already managed to do that.

“Hopefully the group will keep the momentum going and that will be a real tribute.”

Mr McGrother was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October but battled until the end, even joining the Dunwood Park group for a meeting the day before he died.

Councillor Howard Sykes, who had known him for 25 years, said: “Shaw and the world will be a worse place following the death of Mike McGrother.

“He was the driving force behind the soon-to-be-made improvements to Dunwood Park. That will be a fitting legacy his whole family can look back on and be very proud of.”

In a letter to the Chronicle earlier this year, Mr McGrother praised fellow members, dubbing them “magnificent individuals” who had offered up countless hours of dedicated labour for the cause.

He said: “The true measure of our success will not be in the provision of new and better facilities but rather in the development of the park as a living community.”