Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Keiran Fleming

Tributes paid to 'vibrant' Glasgow community hero who tragically died after long cancer battle

Tributes have poured in for a Glasgow community hero who tragically lost her battle with secondary liver and bone cancer on February 19.

Kathy Friend, 60, was a vital resident of the city who touched the lives of many with a variety of inspiring projects.

Sister, Lesley Kershaw, says she will be dearly missed by her family the many Glaswegians she has helped.

READ MORE: Glasgow bakery Mortons Rolls 'ceases all trading' in 'hammer blow' to city

She told Glasgow Live: "Kathy has always been independent and always did her own thing.

"She was very daring and never went with the crowd. Kathy was also really funny and always had a twinkle in her eye and doing something cheeky.

"She came to Glasgow and worked for Scottish Opera for a long time.

"Kathy later retrained at the Scottish film school in 1988 and became one of the first women to operate the steadycam. She did all sorts of filming all over the world."

The former camerawoman, who filmed sporting events and even a trip through the Amazon, was also an avid beekeeper.

Her work with The Children's Wood and Meadow would result in the construction of a unique educational tool for those looking to learn more about the honey making insects.

Lesley said: "She was a member of the Scottish Bee Association and eventually became chairwoman of the organisation as well.

"Her phone number was on the website so she would always be called to help deal with swarms in Glasgow. We have fantastic photos of Kathy driving back with bees all over the dashboard.

"She collected them all at the Scottish Gas site in Glasgow where they allowed her to store the bees on the site. There would be thousands upon thousands of bees there.

"Kathy made her own honey and polish from it aswell. She helped create the dookit to introduce more people on how to take care of bees.

"She called on the community to help create it, so everybody helped her build it. It has perspex covers over the hives so chldren can see the bees in action."

The dookit also caught the eye of royalty who visited the site during the G20 summit.

The loving sister said: "The Queen visited and took a jar of honey back with her.

"The Queen told Kathy that she hoped someone would take it back because she knows the household would enjoy it.

"It was a huge event for her."

However, Kathy didn't just dedicate her time to helping the bees. She would ensure the community was attractive for locals and that Glaswegians were proud of their own achievements.

Lesley said: "After retiring she became a social artist and started her business hold your breath, which was set up to engage the public.

"She would get funding to create new attractive things in her community, the first one was reimaging the Clyde Tunnel. Over a period of years she spoke to the council, artists and teenagers to look at how the entrance could be made more attractictive.

"Kathy got loads of sponsorship and they redesigned the front with lighting and it was a long project, which was met with a big opening.

"The next project she did was welcome to Whiteinch. She worked with some older people in arts workshops. They told her they were scared to leave their homes.

"So she gathered the young, old and community council together. They organised artists to come in and take the drawings from the young and old and make them into murals.

"Kathy also went onto organise an acknowledgement booth. Kathy thought acknowledgement was so important for building relationships.

"Kathy realised that acknowledgement in the police force was missing, so she went to the police and took this huge thrown and over many weeks and months she persuaded police to look at themselves and congragulate themselves.

"She then did it at Glasgow Central and schools. She took this booth everywhere to help people speak about what they are proud of and she gave you a medal to acknowledge you.

"It may not seem like a big thing but a lot of people don't have others acknowledge them in their life and it is a really moving experience."

After fighting breast cancer Kathy was invited to be a part of the Commonwealth Games handover group in Delhi.

Upon returning she wanted to make sure that everyone managed to get a taste of the historic games.

Her sister said: "The Commonwealth Games was a big expensive event but she wanted the locals to be part of that but she knew tickets were expensive.

"She mixed all the communities from every backround together and asked them to think of their individual games and ask them to bring them to the streets, calling it the Gallus games.

"She created these local games all across Glasgow on the run up to the Commonwealth Games."

Although she was born down south, Kathy was a Glaswegian at heart and always aimed to ensure the city was the best it could be for all who lived in it.

Lesley explained: "Kathy loved Glasgow so much.

"She was a vibrant, formidable woman in every aspect of her life and if she thought that Glasgow could benefit from something she would not leave a stone unturned until it's acheived."

READ NEXT:

Glasgow mum and daughter duo launch interiors shop in heart of Shawlands

Body of missing man Matthew Cosgrove discovered by police in Lanarkshire

Lanarkshire mum loses scan picture of dead babies after 'heartless' council evict her

Pensioner dies at Glasgow hospital a month after fatal city centre crash

Glasgow shop sign blunder warns customers against 'consummation of food and drink'

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.