Mary Gifford is a woman of many talents. In the 1970s she broke barriers in the field of economics and now as a volunteer she is making sure dozens of visually impaired people can experience Greater Manchester’s art galleries and museums.
To mark Volunteers Week, the northern sight loss charity Henshaws is shining a light on Mary – one of their most dedicated volunteers – and the people she supports.
Mary, 77, from Withington, broke barriers as a female economist in the 1970s. A self-described feminist she dedicated her life to her career and bought her own house in 1975 – a rare feat for a woman at the time.
“In those days you did not get married and did not have children otherwise your career was over,” she says.
Then aged 45, Mary met ‘the love of her life’ John while on holiday in Egypt. On their return to England the couple continued to see each other and five years later John moved from Birmingham to live with Mary.
Not long afterwards John was diagnosed with kidney cancer and Mary began caring for him full time. The couple got married in 1998 and 14 weeks later John tragically passed away.
Following John’s death, Mary returned to work part time before being made redundant aged 53.
“I lost my 30-year career, my love of my life and husband and couldn’t have been more at rock bottom,” she says.
In 2002 Mary decided to give volunteering a try and began working at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester where she helped wheelchair users access the venue.
“After my husband died, I knew I wanted to volunteer but I thought I can’t help people with cancer because it’s too near the bone, but I wanted to work with people with disabilities,” she says.
It was while volunteering at the Commonwealth Games that Mary saw a leaflet for Henshaws and applied to become a volunteer at the charity.
Mary, who used to be a potter and had her work featured in exhibitions including Gallery Oldham, was contacted by the team at Henshaws and asked whether she would like to help take visually impaired people to museums and galleries.
“I thought I can do that! I love classical music, I go to the theatre, love art, go to the Hallé and used to make pots. To me art is a spiritual experience and it means a lot to me. I want to help people tap into that,” she says.
After John’s death, Mary attended a concert at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. She says the experience was a turning point for her.
“It was the first moment that I felt a spark and that I could live again,” she says.
In 2003 Mary became a volunteer at Henshaws and began organising trips to galleries and museums across Greater Manchester with the help of volunteer drivers and guides. Now more than 20 years later she has never looked back and in a recent full circle moment took her Art Galleries and Museums Group to Gallery Oldham.
Mary says: “I know what it’s like to be rock bottom and I know a lot of these people who have been diagnosed with sight loss are going through a similar experience. I empathise.
“Volunteering gave me a purpose in life, and it replaced my career. The people I help are my friends and family. I get so much pleasure from seeing what they get out of it.”
The Art Galleries and Museums Group’s latest event was a Soundscapes Session at Manchester Museum that focused on biodiversity and wildness. The session included a full audio description and saw the group handle items, including a taxidermied badger and models of an ammonite, ladybird and woodlouse.
