Staggering fundraising collects more than £30,000 in honour of Halifax's Beth Smith

Beth's loved ones have raised thousands in her memory

Beth Smith, who was well known in Calderdale through her work with White Rose Maths and involvement with Halifax Amateur Theatre Youth (HATY), died in November 2020 after suffering a sudden blood clot at home in Savile Park.

In the months before her death, she had been receiving counselling through Huddersfield-based charity TalkThru after she and her husband Ian suffered a series of miscarriages.

Beth described contacting Talkthru as the “best decision” she ever made, which is why, following her death, her loved ones decided to raise money for the charity in her honour.

Beth’s sister, Jeni Harvey, said: “Beth was kind, generous and vivacious and gave so much to help other people, whether through her work inspiring young actors with HATY, or through her love of maths teaching.

“That’s why, after her death, we were determined that we should come together and do something positive in Beth’s memory – to continue making a difference for others, just as Beth did in life.”

More than 20 friends and family formed Beth’s Beavers in December 2020 – named as Beth’s first role with HATY was as Mrs Beaver in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Over the last year, Beth’s Beavers have taken part in a host of fundraising challenges, including the Yorkshire Marathon, the Three Peaks of Yorkshire, walking the mileage from Lands End to John O’Groats, and even taking on a skydive.

Audiences at the recent Legally Blonde shows at Halifax Playhouse helped contribute, donating to bucket collections carried out by Beth’s Beavers volunteers.

Beth’s husband Ian said: “I’m so grateful to everyone who sponsored us, and also to all of Beth’s Beavers. I like to think that Beth would be proud of us – and probably more than a bit surprised that we’ve managed to raise so much for Talkthru, a charity that meant ever so much to her.”