Oldham: Tributes pour in for disability rights activist Myra Wyers

On Saturday, November 9, one of Oldham's most loved disability campaigners, Myra Wyers, died peacefully after a prolonged illness.

Although the 91-year-old slowed down in the last year of her life as her health problems worsened, her family and friends say the mother of four led an incredibly active and colourful life as she was passionate about her community and her family as well as improving disability access in the borough.

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Myra was born on May 27, 1933, at Royal George Cottages in Saddleworth to her mother, a mill worker in Lees, and her father, a debt collector who worked on Henry Street.

She was surprised to be crowned 'Woman of Oldham' in 1999 (Image: Marilyn Wyers)

She attended Friezland School and later Saddleworth Secondary School and at the age of eight, started her volunteer work by knitting clothing for the Home Guard and raising money by selling cake doilies to buy more wool to knit for soldiers.

Over the course of the next eight decades, Myra went on to complete a tremendous amount of voluntary and charitable work as the notice about her death reveals she "dedicated her life" to the cause, particularly in campaigning for arts access in disability forums. 

Myra left school aged 15 and went to work at Collins and then Co-op in Greenfield before she married Roy, her childhood sweetheart, before her 19th birthday.

The pair bought their first house on Shaw Hall Bank Road for £450 and had four children together, Kevin, Brian, Ian and Marilyn.

Myra and Roy (Image: Marilyn Wyers)

Myra was an active member of the community and her children's lives, volunteering as Girls Friendly Society Leader at Friezland Church for 22 years and sitting on the Parent Teacher Association at the Blue Coat School until 1980.

Myra, who was a wheelchair user later in life, was a familiar face in the community, having started Oldham Disability Arts Group more than 30 years ago in the then-disability centre, New Vale House.

She then fought for its replacement, the Link Centre, where her friend Catherine Jones said she was "instrumental" in planning the design of the building to ensure it was accessible. 

When the function of the Link Centre changed a few years ago, Myra again fought to keep the Oldham Disability Arts Group going in the centre.

Myra with her husband, Roy (Image: Marilyn Wyers)

That group still meets several times a week to this day, sharing social time, painting and completing other crafts.

Catherine said Myra donated much of her "time, creativity and money" to support people in the group - and often went the extra mile to support people on a more personal level.

Myra was chair and organiser of the Link Centre Social Group, chair of Oldham Disability Arts, chair of Handyride, Co-optee for Oldham East and sat on the Board of Voluntary Action Oldham and various other disabled groups, as well as working with charities close to her heart such as the Oldham Disability Alliance and Action Together.

Some other notable achievements include her input on dropped kerbs to assist disabled people in Oldham and raising money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Salvation Army.

An illustrated autobiography about her life further reveals Myra was a good friend to those who knew her, from her pen pal in America to Oldhamers she met and supported through the Link Centre.

Myra won several awards for her diligent campaigning (Image: Marilyn Wyers)

Growing up, Myra said she "loved" school, the church and creative arts, though PE "came bottom of the list", and among her many interests and hobbies included making wedding dresses, cakes, watercolours and poetry.

She also loved animals and enjoyed travelling later in her life.

In her book, Myra said she started the disability arts group when she was doing creative writing and artwork in Werneth Park when "Oldham Council came along" and asked her if she could start a group, "because they had tried and did not succeed", she wrote.

The council gave her £1,000 a year to fund the group "for many years" until it stopped.

However, she didn't give up supporting and fundraising for the group - which is still going today.

Myra will be missed (Image: Marilyn Wyers)

As a result of her incredible service to the community, Myra was voted Oldham Woman of the Year in 1999, Volunteer of the Year by Voluntary Action Oldham in 2000 and was nominated for Pride of Oldham in 2013.

Reflecting on her accolades, Myra wrote that her friend had "tricked" her into attending the Women of Oldham award ceremony and was "completely stunned and amazed" to have won it.

She later received a Civic Appreciation Award from the mayor in 2020.

A quote in her book reads: "I am a millionaire with friendship."

Tributes have since been pouring in as her friends described her as a "great champion of disability rights".

Paying tribute to her mother, Marilyn said: "It's a sad time and we will miss her so much.

"We are thinking of her as she goes to join her beloved husband, Roy who sadly passed away many years ago."

Myra leaves behind her four children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and leaves a lasting legacy for disability rights in Oldham.

Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk