Faith Matyszak-Gander was a well-known volunteer and activist on the Whitehawk estate in Brighton. Arriving in the city in 1950, she worked hard to improve the estate and became known to many simply as ‘Mrs Whitehawk’. She worked at the Royal Sussex County Hospital for almost 30 years from 1967 to 1996, initially as a cleaner and progressing to auxiliary nurse. Between this and raising her four children as a single mother, Faith also fought for fairness and equality in the wider city.
From working at the hospital she became involved with the union in supporting other staff members, updating records and attending meetings, which was the start of her voluntary work. Having initially found it hard to access training herself, she latterly became adept in securing training for others, enlisting their commitment and encouraging them into community roles. One remembers her saying ‘Come on Lyn, you can do it’ so before long I was attending meetings, getting on committees – like the carrot to the horse, once you were hooked, that was it.’ Another said ‘She was the guiding hand to lots of kids, she always listened to them and advised them…so she empowered so many of them. I see her as the mother of Whitehawk, she guided so many people on the right path.’
She was involved with and often the driver of much work for Brighton and Hove Black Women’s group, the Brighton & Hove Racial Harassment Forum, Trust for Developing Communities, and the Brighton Unemployed Family Centre. Her many successful projects included bringing the derelict basement in Robert Lodge back into use as a community hub, and helping to raise £1m for Crew Club, an award-winning local charity which has been supporting young people, children and families since 1999.
Faith was also a member of the Black History Project, and maintained the contribution of people from ethnic minorities to city life should be more widely recognized. ‘Most people don’t realise just how much black people have actually put into this country… it is only by us putting it out there that it is being acknowledged.’
Faith fought for workers’ and tenants’ rights and was a longstanding and committed member of the Labour Party. She was given a national merit award, the party’s highest honour in 2002. Locals nominated Faith for a Millenium Award, which she also received in 2002, and an MBE in 2007 for her community and volunteer work. The young members of Whitehawk’s Crew Club raised £70 to buy her a replica MBE that she could wear day-to-day.
In later years the union presented her with a much-needed mobility scooter. Reflecting her dynamic personality, she became a member of a group described on one occasion as ‘Whitehawk’s answer to the Red Arrows, performing a string of daredevil manoeuvres using only mobility scooters…they will have red, white and blue smoke belching out from their machines, just like the world famous Red Arrows jets , as they perform their routine to the Dambusters theme music.’
A much-loved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Faith died in 2015 at the age of 83, having spent decades helping other people. It was typical of her passionate commitment and forward thinking that she had ensured that all her positions had successors firmly in place. Her daughter, Zena Barton is currently writing a book about Faith’s life, and has kindly contributed the information for this article, and also the programme for Faith’s 90th birthday celebration which is featured below.
Sue Delafons
