A ‘Jimmy’ for Grangemouth volunteer Julia

The Jimmy Murphy Memorial Trophy is only given out to those individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty to help others throughout their lives.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Jan 2020, 17:24 BST
Updated 21st Jan 2020, 17:26 BST

Grangemouth’s Julia Marshall (77) certainly fits that criteria – the Zetland Parish Church elder has been giving up her time for good causes for over 30 years.

Julia was presented with her Jimmy Murphy Memorial Trophy at Zetland Parish Church last Sunday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The former BP worker said: “I was in the Red Cross for 30 years and I also helped out at the Dolphins disabled swimming club for over 20 years. I just enjoy helping people – I only left the Red Cross because of health reasons.”

The Dolphin Club, which has been meeting in the swimming pool at Grangemouth Sports Complex for over 30 years, provides swimming sessions dedicated to people with special needs, physical disabilities or those recovering from a stroke, injury, arthritis or debilitating illness.

The British Red Cross Society was formed in 1870 and is now a registered charity which has over 32,000 volunteers providing help to people in crisis, both in the UK and overseas.

While she may have left the Red Cross behind, it has has not stopped Julia from providing much needed assistance to those who need it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “Now I do a lot of work with Zetland Parish Church on a lot of different committees and I pick people up and drive them to where they need to go.”

The trophy which now has pride of place in Julia’s house in Oswald Avenue was named after a man who would go to great lengths to help his community.

It has been presented annually for over a decade now and previous Jimmy Murphy Memorial Trophy winners include Grangemouth Community Care co-ordinator Anne Lowe, for her dedication to helping elderly people, Norman Scott for his work with the Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied (PHAB) Club, grandmother Jean Jackson for her years of volunteering, Violet Caban, a Grange Parish Church and Zetland Parish Church elder, and Alice Hamilton, who has been making dresses for youngsters involved in Grangemouth Children’s Day for over 20 years.

Last year’s recipient was Beryl Northway, a member of Grangemouth’s St Mary’s Church who actually met and volunteered alongside Jimmy Murphy himself.

Related topics:Grangemouth