It was with sadness that I heard Pat Burke had died on the 26th November 2014.  Pat Burke had been active in Ancoats for many years, recently supporting Ancoats Dispensary Trust, in its efforts to save Ancoats Dispenary.

She was involved, with other Ancoats residents in the occupation of Ancoats Casualty, which took place between February 1987 and March 1989.  They were fighting to stop the closure of the casualty department, which the local Health authority had decided, had to close.  The story of the sit-in, is told in ‘Stitched Up! – Action for Health in Ancoats’ (Dunne, M.C., 1993).  Pat was one of the editorial group, along with Phil Burke, Joe Cromer, Jean Grey, Cathy Jackson and Craig Russell, which met regularly between 1991 to 1993.  There were two copies of ‘Stitched Up!’ available in the reference section of Central Library.

The last of years, she has been supportive of the Save Ancoats Dispensary Group, now Ancoats Dispensary Trust, in their efforts to save the old building from demolition.  Pat Burke’s Health Profile from ‘Stitched Up!, is below;

Dunne, M.C. (1993) Stitched Up! – Action for Health in Ancoats, Rochdale Alternative Press. 1993 Church Action on Poverty.