Daffodils tribute after death of Burngreave stalwart Isilda Lang, who set up Sheffield playgroup

But now Burngreave is preparing to say a last goodbye to Isilda Lang with a trail of daffodils, after she lost a long battle with cancer.

Isilda arrived in Sheffield as refugees fleeing Augusto Pinochet’s Chile in 1977, settling in the city which she came to love.

She was known across the community for her work in setting up and running the St James Church playgroup in 1985, a group which still runs there to this day.

It was one of many roles she had locally, and she was also a centre officer in the Red Cross, providing aid on the ground at the Hillsborough disaster among other tasks.

There are plans to line her street, Scott Road, with 200 friends carrying daffodils as a tribute when her funeral cars take her to Grenoside Crematorium, setting off at 10am on March 21.

Son James said they had hoped to take the keen gardener out to see the daffodils this spring.

He said: “There were storms in the days before she died, but 30 minutes after I left her side, a rainbow appeared in the sky, and daffodils and crocuses were starting to come through.”

She died on Monday, February 21 at the Northern General Hospital’s Macmillan Palliative Care Unit.

James added: “She lived and breathed Burngreave and was extremely proud of residing here.

"She trudged up and down its hills in her role as a Sure Start family support worker, serving families new to the area and the country, many refugees such as herself. She helped bring up some of Burngreave’s community as a childminder, a second mum to some.

"She co-founded the St James’ Parents and Toddlers playgroup, still going strong today as the Pitsmoor Baby and Toddler Group, continuing her legacy. It was in these roles that mum made lots of firm friends who supported her unconditionally through her illness with lifts and kind words.”

Isilda’s final contribution to the city has been making a recipe book with friends about the food their children ate when being childminded by Isilda. So far it’s raised nearly £2,000 for St Luke’s Hospice.