Former head of Sunderland Echo's 15,000-strong Women's Circle dies at 83

Lynda Morris, the driving force behind the Echo's Women's Circle in the 1970s, has died aged 83.

Lynda Morris, née Heslam, passed away at a care home in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.

Between 1971 and 1981 she ran the Sunderland Echo’s Women’s Circle. The group would meet each Thursday and at its heart was Lynda, who would organise events involving cooking, gardening, make-up, bowling, yoga and much more.

She would regularly arrange weekends and theatre breaks in places like London and Manchester. But trips further afield also proved popular.

San Francisco was one of many exotic destinations organised by Lynda Morris, the driving force behind the Echo's Women's Circle in the 1970s, who has died aged 83.

Sometimes up to 150 women would embark on trips to destinations including Canada, the USA, Japan, Italy, France and Spain.

She had to stand down when she moved to Worksop in 1981.

Her daughter, Eunice Doyle, said: “If the Woman’s Circle were going abroad, mum would go over there first to check it out to check that it was suitable.

“At its peak it had 15,000 members.”

Born in Sunderland in 1936, Lynda was married to Philip Morris from 1956 until he passed away in 1967. They had two children, Eunice and son Andrew.

Lynda was also a talented artist.

Eunice added: “When mum moved to Worksop in 1981 she went to art classes and started painting watercolours.

“She was good and they’re scattered around various homes.”

She was later married to Ivan Wilson between 1981 and his death in 2013. They met in Hawaii while she was on a Women’s Circle trip.

Lynda leaves behind her two children, a stepson Gareth, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She died on Saturday, February 22.