AUDREY CULL

A LIFE OF DEVOTION TO OTHERS

On 31st August 1997 Audrey Cull preached at Kibworth Methodist Church for the last time. It is 50 years since she was accredited as a local preacher in the Methodist Church and to celebrate this she was presented with a Certificate at a service in Husbands Bosworth on 7 September.

On a pleasant late summer's morning, over coffee and biscuits, a remarkable life of service to others unfolded before me. Audrey was born in Woodville, near Burton-on-Trent some 81 years ago and lived there with her parents and her brother and sister. When she left school in 1935 she became a student teacher at Donisthorpe Junior School. In those days training was very much on the spot for those teaching younger children. 1936 saw the whole family move to Kibworth where they lived in the house at the side of what is now Wedding Belles. To begin with Audrey taught at Kibworth Infants' School but she was soon on the move again to Hinckley where her teaching abilities earned her a permanent post. Her father and brother began working at The Hatchery when the family moved to Kibworth. One day her father came home to ask Audrey's mother if she would take as lodgers some Japanese Chick Sexers! Apparently trying to tell whether a chick is male or female is rather difficult and at the time the Japanese were very good at the job. For several years, up until the beginning of the war, Audrey's family took in these Japanese visitors, one of whom wanted to marry Audrey's sister; she was not interested and he said he would take Audrey instead. Audrey was not impressed; she was not going to be second best and firmly refused the offer!

Audrey was brought up in a strong Christian environment. The family would attend morning and evening prayers as well as Sunday School. Her father was Secretary of the Temperance group when the family lived in Woodville. From 1936 onward Kibworth Methodist Church became the centre of family worship. During the early years of The Second World War, Audrey became more and more involved in the life of the Church and her experience in Church on Whit Sunday 1942, when she felt God had spoken directly to her, changed her life forever. Audrey had already started attending the Church Guild and it was here that she gained the confidence to speak to groups of other adults. In 1940 she also started a Sunshine Corner, later to become the Youth Club, which any child could attend. Each evening at 7pm, after travelling back by bus from her teaching job in Hinckley, Audrey would devote herself to the young folk of the Church; thus began 40 years of running the youth groups for Kibworth Methodist Church. In 1945 Audrey moved to Fleckney Primary School. The same year, the Secretary of the Methodist Local Preachers contacted Audrey and asked her to train to preach in church. In June 1947 Audrey completed her training and thus began her 50 year preaching career. Devoting her time and energies to others did not stop at the local level. In 1955 Audrey began Kibworths association with the Leprosy Mission. She organized information and fund-raising events and in 1993 her work was recognised with the presentation of a certificate at Lambeth Palace. The Archbishop of Canterbury personally congratulated Audrey on her work for the Mission. However, what sticks out most in her mind from the occasion was her conversation with Diana, Princess of Wales. The Princess was being ushered quickly along the lines of guests but made a point of coming back to Audrey and having a very personal 'chat'. Audrey was very impressed by how well informed the Princess was about the Mission and how caring and genuinely interested she was in Audrey's own contribution.

Audrey moved to Oadby Infants' School in 1954, where she continued to shape the lives of countless children until her retirement in 1976. Her unique blend of care, patience and love for young folk was continually recognised with a stream of visitors through the school, something in her own gentle way she found a little annoying. For most people after 40 years of teaching a rest would be in order, but not for Audrey! With more time on her hands she wanted to contribute even more to her church and so in 1979 she started a Women's Fellowship. Again Audrey felt that God was talking directly to her asking that the group be started. By 1990, with Audrey as President of the group, 90 members were on the books. This remarkable lady has at last begun to take things a little easier and she stepped down from the Presidency last year.

Even though Audrey will no longer be occupying the pulpit on a regular basis her tremendous energy and faith will continue to be at work helping and supporting others. Audrey is a wonderful example of Service Above Self but I am sure she would just say "I am only doing the Lord's work".

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