MUCH loved Shaldon Primary School teacher Janet Gordge asked for donations for the Homeless in Teignbridge Support food bank, rather than sending flowers as she was losing her battle with cancer, and raised more than £3,000.

Many tributes have been paid to Janet who taught at Shaldon Primary School for 20 years and died on July 4 after a two-year battle with bowel cancer.

Janet set up a Total Giving fundraising page at the beginning of lockdown, asking people to donate to Homeless in Teignbridge Support food bank (HITS), rather than sending her flowers.

The fundraising page had an initial target of £250, which was quickly surpassed. The current total is more than £3,000.

When she first launched the fundraiser, Janet said: ‘There were times when this charity would have been very useful to me when my children were young.’

Chairman of HITS, David Cox, said: ‘Janet was an inspirational woman, it was totally in keeping with her ethos, that she used her final weeks helping others through fundraising for HITS food bank; the charity is extremely grateful.’

Janet’s daughter, Chloe Myers, sadly announced: ‘Mum peacefully passed away at home at 7am this morning, a month after her Mum (my grandmother) died.

‘We are so grateful for all the incredible kindness everyone has shown over the last couple of years: flowers, cards, shopping, cuddles, walks. And we are grateful she had that time to do the things she wanted to do, see the people she wanted to see, have her parties and understand how loved and appreciated she was.’

One of Janet’s final Year 6 students, Jack Rodwell, wrote a leaver’s song for her in 2018 after hearing of her diagnosis.

Jack and some of his old classmates have since got together to record the song, to be played at her funeral as she wished.

Jack said: ‘Miss Gordge wasn’t an ordinary teacher, she was a unique lady who genuinely cared about each and every child that passed through her care, a teacher that children remember forever.

‘She was so special,’ added Jack.

Janet’s funeral was held today, Monday, July 20.

You can still donate in Janet’s memory to the HITS food bank via their website at: www.hitsfoodbank.org