TRIBUTES have been paid to a grandmother who devoted much of her time to helping people with disabilities.

Stella Scholes died on Thursday, January 17, aged 72.

Mrs Scholes, of College View, Esh Winning, helped set up the Durham Disability Outlook Forum and Durham Shopmobility.

The Outlook Forum helps disabled people onto training courses and into work.

Shopmobility, based in the Prince Bishops shopping centre, loans scooters and wheelchairs, to help disabled people get around Durham City.

A mother-of-three and grandmother- of-two, Mrs Scholes also played a key role in establishing The House, an outreach project in Esh Winning where single mothers were taught skills such as cooking and budgeting.

The House was opened by David Jenkins, then Bishop of Durham.

Mrs Scholes' funeral, held at Durham Crematorium yesterday, was attended by more than 50 mourners, including Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods.

Mrs Scholes' widower, Stafford, said his wife was a beautiful person who made friends easily and never complained, despite suffering a number of illnesses.

Mrs Scholes was born in Lewisham, on January 10, 1936.

When she was 39, she lost her hearing as a result of meningitis.

However, she continued to work at the Land Registry, in Durham, and served on the predecessor of the Primary Care Trust board.

Mrs Scholes was diagnosed with liver cancer in December.

She died in University Hospital of North Durham.

She leaves her husband, children Jon, Susan and Penny, and grandchildren Enya and Ailsa.

Her husband, who also devotes much of his time to community work, in his role as secretary of the North Durham Prostate Cancer Support Group, said: "She was always there for other people.

"People in the village could call her if they needed support and counselling. She was a shoulder to lean on."

Mrs Scholes' funeral was led by Father Kevin Tromans, chaplain to University Hospital of North Durham.

Her family requested that anyone wishing to make a donation in lieu of flowers should do so to St Cuthbert's Hospice.

Donations can be sent care of N Alderson Funeral Directors, Flass Terrace, Ushaw Moor.

* The Northern Echo attended Mrs Scholes' funeral at the request of her family.