THE FAMILY of a 'proud Penarthian' who has passed away have paid tribute to her life-long dedication to the community.

Mrs Rosemary Margaret Newman (nee Bishop), known as Ro to friends and family, passed away at the age of 77 on September 14, at Llandough Hospital. 

Ro was a familiar face around the town due to her charitable work in the community and livelong involvement with the Trinity Methodist Church (PMC).  

As a teen she became a Sunday school teacher and after leaving St Cyres School she trained as a nursery nurse. She worked in many nursery and infant schools in Barry and Penarth until she started a family of her own.  

In the 1960s, Ro attended Trinity Youth Club where she made many friends and in 1968 met and fell in love with her husband, Philip (Phil) Newman.  

Phil went on to take over the leadership of the Youth Club with Ro as his assistant, providing fun Tuesday evening activities for teenagers in the late 70’s and 80’s. 

Ro was a very active and committed member of many clubs and associations with her husband, creating scatter hunts, quiz nights and day trips.  

This included being the chairwoman of Victoria School PTA, running a thriving Mother & Toddler Group at Trinity in its heyday, and being an enthusiastic member of the Penarth Amateur Winemakers Society (PWAs). 

When her children, Liam and Ceri-Lou started school, Ro worked in Vera’s Deli and Garden Basket in Cornerswell Road – a helpful and friendly face to customers.  

Her family continued to organise fundraisers such as the 24-hour sponsored bible reading marathon and the silver carpet made of 5p coins.  

For many years Ro worked at Ysgol Erw'r Delyn, first on the housekeeping side, then later as a classroom assistant where her caring and patient nature was evident to all. 

After spending 13 years living in west Wales, where Phil worked for ACAS until he passed in 2008, Ro returned to the Vale to be near Liam & Ceri-Lou and settled in Barry. 

In Barry, she greatly enjoyed reconnecting with old friends and her church family and made many new friends. 

Ro organised many fundraisers with her daughter over the next 10 years at Trinity which benefited not just the church but local and national charities, 

These included book sales, craft fairs, Teddy Bears picnic, games nights, coffee morning bake sales etc.  

For 20 years Ro was very involved with the Christmas Day Luncheon held at Trinity, for those who would otherwise spend the day alone. 

Unfortunately, health problems prevented Ro from being as active as she had previously been when it came to fundraising, but she still felt a strong need to contribute, however she could. 

During the pandemic Ro grew her short hair out and shaved it off to raise money for The British Lung Foundation (as she was living with lung clots) and grew hundreds of sunflower plants, from seeds, to sell in aid of the Ukrainian refugees arriving in Penarth.