Shakespeare wrote “The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones.” As we lament the recent death of Joyce Perry, we can rejoice in the knowledge that the reverse is true of her because so many of the fruits of her work continue to the great advantage of the people of Petersfield and the surrounding area.

Among those must be counted the fact that, working with others, she drove the formation of not only the Petersfield Voluntary Care Group (PVCG), but also of the Petersfield Voluntary Centre (PVC).

Petersfield Voluntary Care Group, working with the Good Neighbours Network of the Diocese, provides essential transport to medical appointments.  The Petersfield Voluntary Centre started in about 1979 when Joyce and members of the Handicapped Children’s Society, PVCG and Age Concern realised that the town needed a place where people could meet and chat, think, or just sit.

At first, they obtained a tenancy of the former infant school (where St Peter’s Court is now) and started their operation.   Shortly afterwards, when the County Library left Winton House for its current building, the YWCA, who had previously used Winton House as a hostel decided to stop. PVC took a 30 year lease of the lower parts of the building and the upper parts were leased to the Petersfield Housing Association, for whom Joyce’s husband, Bert, worked, and for whom an office was built at the rear.  This office is now used by Home-Start Butser.  In 2009 The Housing Association decided not to renew their lease and Winton House Centre (WHC) was formed, Joyce was the president of WHC until she died.

Joyce and Bert, were both teachers and devout members of the United Reform Church.  She was the personification of gentle kindness and concern for others. To use the words of a child at a Sunday School who was asked “What is an angel?” she was indeed “a person the light shines through.” [May she rest in peace.]

 Tributes to Joyce Perry, a founder of Winton House for the community | Petersfield’s Shine Radio