Swanwick Star Issue No. 13 (2020)

Dorothy Whitworth

 

 

 

 

In Memoriam

Dorothy Whitworth, was a gem and one of the pioneers of Swanwick Study Centre. Once it became an Adult Centre in the 1980s, as manager, Dorothy helped to nurture Swanwick as a warm and inviting place for guests who wanted to undertake spiritual inquiry in a special setting. She was loathe to turn anyone away and always found chores for them to do around the grounds so they could stay as guest-helpers. Her gracious nature and excellent vegetarian cooking skills made it a most welcoming place for everyone. Whether it was a quiche served with our crisp green garden vegetables, or, a really savoury Shepherd’s pie with a wonderful organic salad picked from the garden, she was truly an outstanding chef. Personally, I shall never forget her delicious granola baked in the oven with oats and all sorts of tasty nuts and raisins that everyone enjoyed at breakfast.

She took great pride in her gardens and, if she wasn’t in the kitchen, you were most likely to find her outside. I loved helping her pick vegetables for the fantastic salads she prepared at weekend retreats and that’s probably how I developed a love for picking fruit in the autumn. That’s when my Aunt Jackie and Dorothy would get us all picking brambleberries for the famous Swanwick jam as they toiled over the stoves mixing and boiling the mysterious preparation nobody has been able to duplicate since. In any case, many people enjoyed this house specialty for numerous years!  I shall always think of Dorothy as part of those warm, wonderful, idyllic Swanwick days. And, I’m sure, many people will have their own fond memories of dear Dorothy who devoted so many years to The Centre.

Chanda Siddoo-Atwal