Sylvia Beamon
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Sylvia on 30th November 2021, who was a great supporter of the Royston Community Association and Coombes Community Centre as an asset for Royston. Sylvia was particularly interested in promoting activities and resources for children which began when she moved to Royston in 1961 and set up the first playgroups in the town. She founded and led the Retreat Parent and Social Group on the Icknield Walk estate, which later became the Royston Retreat Community Association that campaigned and fund-raised for a community centre in Royston. This was finally achieved in 1976 with the opening of the Priory Community Centre at Royston Town Hall, followed in 1987 by the purpose-built Coombes Community Centre in Burns Road which has a dedicated Under 5s room used by Wonderland Day Nursery today.
Sylvia was widely known around the town and did all she could to promote Royston and young families till her death in November, aged 85. Among her many local campaigns and achievements are the first National Childbirth Trust classes in Royston, the underpass linking the Burns Road estate with the Garden Walk schools, the Time Trackers children’s archaeology club at Royston Museum, and the sensory garden in Priory Memorial Gardens.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends. The funeral will take place on Wednesday 5th January 2022 at Therfield Chapel at 1pm to which all are welcome. Family flowers only and donations for MAGPAS can be sent c/o Cecil Newling Funeral Director, Market Hill, Royston, SG8 9UL.
