My mother, Gill Benton, who has died aged 81, began her career as a school teacher but, frustrated by the rigidity of teaching, in 1981 she retrained in careers guidance. Her work took her into schools and community settings across the north-west region, supporting young people who had limited trust in institutions.
A lifelong socialist, she held to the principle “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need”, sharing her time, skills and even her home with those who needed support. Her gift was to be able to transcend differences of education, class and accent to really connect with the people she worked with – hearing their aspirations and lighting the way.
From 1993 until her retirement in 2007 she worked at Wirral Metropolitan College, leading their careers and guidance service in supporting professionals ranging from sexual health advisors to counsellors.
