Permanent tribute built for 'tireless' fundraiser and volunteer

A memorial plaque has been unveiled in Holyport for a ‘tireless’ fundraiser and volunteer whose good work stretched from the village fair to the Samaritans and SportsAble.

Marysia Stone was born on September 25, 1942. She moved from Manchester to Holyport in 1975 and ‘threw herself into village life’ immediately.

For decades, she was instrumental in organising the historic and much-loved Holyport Village Fair.

Paul Stone, Marysia’s son, said she ‘absolutely loved it’ and remembered how involved she was with every part. With her tenacity and strong sense of community spirit, Marysia made herself indispensable.

Paul remembers an incident during the famed but now banned Holyport ‘beer race’.

Participants had to run from point to point, drinking a pint each multiple location.

Marysia became ‘incensed’ by people who would cheat by taking a sip and slopping the rest out. Determined people should play properly, she rectified this by switching to cups with lids.

She also saved the village fair from closure on several occasions, Paul added, repeatedly wrangling new blood to help set it up.

Marysia’s ‘fighting spirit’ extended to her being ‘a daredevil’ who used to race stock cars in Manchester, where her uncle owned a garage that built them.

“She decided she could do better than his drivers, so she joined the team,” said Paul.

“It was brilliant, my brother and I going to watch our mum race stock cars. The last time she raced, her car burst into flames and she had to climb out of the window.”

Marysia also worked with SportsAble (previously Windsor Ascot Maidenhead District Sports Association for the Disabled), where she specialised in teaching visually impaired people archery and pistol shooting.

“She was a damn good shot with both, by all accounts,” said Paul.

Marysia was also a central part of Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead Samaritans, and was there for about 25 years.

Paul’s brother, Gary, died in 1993 aged 26, which became the ‘catalyst’ for Marysia getting heavily involved in the charity.

For them, Marysia did a lot of night shifts, talking to people in crisis. She also organised fêtes and charity events, in particular at Windsor Racecourse.

“She would guilt the punters into putting money into the Samaritans tins rather than lose it on the horses,” said Paul.

The Samaritans paid tribute to Marysia at her funeral in February, saying she was ‘loved and admired by many of the volunteers.’

“Most people [at the funeral] hadn’t the first clue she was even involved with the Samaritans,” said Paul.

“She was a very private in that respect – she would never blow her own trumpet at all.

“It was just part of what she did, looking after people. It was the way she was.”

Marysia died on December 17, having reached the age of 82.

Nonetheless, Paul said it was a ‘shock’ because she was ‘fit as a fiddle.’

“Three days before she passed, she was at my house helping clear up some trees from [Storm Darragh], organising crews of big burly chainsawers, helping move logs,” he said.

Marysia’s funeral was held at St Michael’s Church in Bray on February 1. She was interned with her beloved son Gary.

“She’d be very happy about that,” said Paul.

Now, a commemorative plaque has been installed in Holyport War Memorial Hall in memory of Marysia.

In a tribute on Facebook, Holyport Community Trust (for which Marysia was a trustee) wrote they were ‘deeply saddened’ by her passing.

“Marysia’s dedication and tireless efforts left a lasting impact on both our community and the [Holyport War] Memorial Hall,” they wrote.

“It is only right that we honour her legacy with a memorial plaque, commemorating the incredible work she did for us all.

“With her terrier-like tenacity for fundraising and her unwavering love for Holyport – especially the cherished Holyport Village Fair – Marysia truly embodied the spirit of our village.

“She will be greatly missed, but her memory and contributions will live on.”