A RETIRED teacher who turned charity champion after a devastating diagnosis changed her life forever is the focus of this week's People of Inverclyde feature.

Tireless fundraiser Louise Newman, who has made a splash for more than a decade for a charity close to her heart, is stepping down after raising more than £30,000.

Louise, 64, inspired hundreds of people to take part in a super swimming event at Gourock Pool every year in aid of the MS Society Scotland.

The modest former teacher, who retired due to ill health in 2011after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, turned a negative into a positive and has helped so many people along the way.

She said: "I was diagnosed in 2011, people usually know there is something wrong, I have heard so many stories that when people are diagnosed, they are actually relieved to know what it is and start getting treatment."

The first warning sign for Louise was a bad accident when she was on holiday in Spain a few years before.

She said: "I fell off a bike in Majorca in 2008 and suffered bad injuries, I broke my shoulder in four places, and then I had a visual disturbance and dizzy spells, but it took a long time to be diagnosed.

"I started taking medication straight away and I cannot believe how lucky I've been, I have been fine, the fatigue is the biggest thing but I haven't suffered any relapses."

But this didn't stop Louise thinking of others and 2011 proved to be a milestone year for the business studies teacher who had devoted almost all of her career to working in Inverclyde.

She had enjoyed spells of teaching at Greenock High and Notre Dame before moving to Greenock Academy in the 1990s and built up a special rapport with pupils, many of whom became friends.

Louise, who lives with her husband David in Gourock, said: "I see some of my kids with children of their own now, I suppose that happens when you stay in the area where you teach."

Louise even recalled meeting one of formers pupils, who had taken a gap year while on a family holiday on one of the islands off Thailand.

She said: "It was Christmas time, we stopped off at Dubai and then we flew out to Bangkok and one of the islands, and one of my ex-pupils was doing a gap year and was on a round the world trip, so we met up with her. I hadn't seen her in ages, it was incredible."

The popular teacher moved to Clydeview Academy but was struggling with her condition and reduced her days but eventually took early retirement on health grounds when she discovered what was wrong.

That in turn is what sparked a decade of fundraising as Louise held her retirement celebration at Gourock Pool in 2011 and thereafter held a sponsored swim every year (apart from during the pandemic) until October last year.

Louise said: "It was just amazing, we used to have a couple of hundred people doing the swim, people used to say, 'oh you've got to do it again', I used to organise the swim, sandwiches, cakes and raffle prizes."

She said she had a tear in her eye at the last swim event.

Louise said: "It was very emotional, I used to play netball and coach it at school. All my netball buddies were there and gave a speech and presented me with a bouquet of flowers."

She said it took a lot of organising and to gather raffle prizes for the event and it became too much.

Louise said: "It was getting harder every year to get raffle prices, it's so difficult for people, we were struggling to make a profit."

As well as annual swims she also took part in the Georgetown Cup cycle which raised money for her charity.

Louise said: "I held cake bakes in the house, where people would come and either eat or sell the cakes, my sister was involved at Gourock Garden Party and every year she had a stall in aid of MS Scotland.

She feels a positive attitude has helped her get through and she is delighted that she has made a difference, not just in fundraising but also in offering a listening ear to people who have recently been diagnosed.

Louise said: "I know people can wait two years to find out what is wrong, I know a girl who went private, so she could find out sooner."

The charity champion is also keen to help people negotiate the benefits system, which she found difficult herself.

Her efforts were recognised by the MS Society Scotland when she received an 'Impact Award' from the charity.

Louise isn't resting on her laurels, she swims and goes to the gym as part of the Live Active initiative which sets up a programme from a GP's referral.

She says that she feels that being fit helped her to cope with her condition.

Louise said: "I think it does make a difference, I have been motivated my whole life to do sport. I even referred other people to go on the Live Active programme."