Long-lasting legacy: Wakefield community centre celebrates stalwart founder with renaming ceremony in her honour

Standbridge Community Centre was officially renamed The Monica Graham Centre in a surprise celebration for the former Wakefield councillor where a new commemorative garden was also unveiled.

Monica, 83, who has lived in Sandal for more than 30 years, was part of a group which formed a trust in 2006 to lease the building from the local authority.

The space opened in 2008, and has been home to a variety of neighbourhood organisations, and has acted as a welcoming social space since.

Unfortunately, Monica was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, which led to months of chemotherapy treatment. In 2020, she was officially registered as blind.

Another founder of the centre, Mark Roberts had the suggestion to honour her extensive work for the community and her legacy within the area through the centre that she spent so much time shaping.

Valerie Pawlowski, a Kettlethorpe trustee and organiser of Monica’s surprise party, said: "We wanted to show how incredibly grateful we are for Monica in everything she's done for the community.

“Despite what she’s going through, she continues to stay strong and share her knowledge.

"She is an inspiration and the whole community is extremely grateful for her.”

Monica arrived at the ceremony under the impression she was going out for afternoon tea with her daughter.

She was greeted by over 80 guests at the celebration including members of Kettlethorpe Guardians Boxing Club; The Yorkshire Volunteer Band; Wakefield Guides and Grow Wakefield.

“I was absolutely speechless, I didn’t expect it at all,” she said.

"It’s been a privilege to get to know so many people in the community, I’m surrounded by diamonds.”

Monica also thanked her children for their support.

“My daughters: Beverly Buxton, Daphne Graham and son, Richard Graham have all taken second place in the order of importance because the centre took so much of my time.

"The last 20 years have been very full in terms of life experience and mixing with the wonderful communities and I’m so grateful to my family to inviting all the people that mean so much to me and have supported me during these difficult times.”

Monica was also delighted by the new community garden, created especially in her honour.

"I’m grateful to all the service users and centre members who came together to create this beautiful garden,” added Valerie.

“It was only made possible by people’s donations so thank you to everyone for your contributions, it would not have been possible without you.”

Monica moved to Wakefield from South Wales in 1973.

She worked as a dental nurse for 28 years in Normanton, Crigglestone and latterly at Wakefield and New Hall prisons, meeting a varied cross-section of the community before retiring in June 2004.

As a councillor, she was first elected on behalf of Wakefield South in 2003 serving four terms, until she officially retired in 2016.

She served briefly as Tory group leader on Wakefield Council from 2012, an experience she described to the Express as "difficult.”

Speaking in 2019 she said: "As I see it I'm a community worker. My role as a councillor is to help people.”