A GOUROCK woman who devoted her life to helping others has inspired her daughter to continue her legacy and raise £30,000 for charity in her memory.

Good samaritan Rachel Stewart spent years raising tens of thousands of pounds to help feed impoverished children in the third world.

The unassuming and humble mum, who was still raising money right up until she was 80, passed away last October at the age of 84.

As a tribute, her daughter Bernadette Barr decided to continue her mum’s legacy.

By baking delicious cakes, Bernadette has raised about £30,000 for Mary’s Meals – a charity which provides meals to some of the world’s poorest children.

Through the charity, Bernadette also sponsors a school in Africa which is named ‘Rachel’s Kitchen’ after her late mum.
Bernadette, who stays in Clune Brae, Port Glasgow, said: “My mum was an amazing crafter so she was always making things to raise money for the third world.

“She had a passion for the third world.

“Even when she stayed in the Little Sisters of the Poor, she was in the craft room day and night.

“My mum was a quiet and humble lady but I was told by a priest that she had raised tens of thousands of pounds for the third world through sewing, knitting and baking, which is quite something.

“I would never have known that if it was not for the priest.”
When Rachel’s health deteriorated, Bernadette decided to continue her mum’s work.

Bernadette added: “My mum was still raising money right up until she was about 80 but she was diagnosed with early stage dementia and then she fell and broke her hip while we were on a holida in Fuerteventura.

“On her 80th birthday I took her to the Mary’s Meals charity day at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow.

“During the day they showed an inspirational short film about the work of Mary’s Meals.

“After watching it she told me she wished she was younger so that she could still help.
“It made me think about all the work she had done for all those years and I started thinking about what I could do to keep her work going.”

Four years ago, despite never baking before, Bernadette decided to keep her mum’s charity work going by making cakes, donating the proceeds to Mary’s Meals.

She said: “I decided to learn how to bake with one recipe.

“Then I baked cupcakes for an Ardgowan Hospice coffee morning and it took off from there.”

Now, her venture, dubbed ‘Baked with Love’, has raised a superb sum for the charity.

Bernadette, with the help of her family and friends, organised afternoon teas at the Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home where her mum stayed.

The money raised from them has been used to sponsor the school in Liberia named after Rachel.

Bernadette, who says her fundraising wouldn’t be possible without support from her husband Ian as well as the Little Sisters and her friends and family.

She said: “When Mary’s Meals sent me a photo of the plaque, I was so emotional.”