Popular Portsmouth woman regarded as ‘Florence Nightingale of Buckland’ who once escorted Princess Diana has died

Jill Miller has passed away aged 82 after a lifetime dedicated to helping children who she ‘loved’.

The mum-of-four was well known in the Buckland community after decades of selfless work at community centres where she instilled discipline and taught right from wrong to youngsters, many of whom had come from broken homes or had difficult childhoods.

Jill passed away at the Kilmiston Close home she had lived in for 48 years after a long battle with various forms of cancer. She had also fought Parkinson’s disease for many years.

But despite her personal struggles she would always put others first and never ask for help - with her part of an ‘era dying off now’.

Jill volunteered at St Mary’s Church in Fratton helping with the summer fetes before running a youth club in the building where Radio Victory was held.

She helped out with All Saints Church in Buckland where they held a youth club and fundraising events.

At Buckland Youth Activity Centre she was involved at all levels and was instrumental in activities that included 24 hour discos for charity, camping and coach trips - with her famed for writing ‘begging letters’ to companies for donations to take the children places.

Jill’s son Gordon, 56, said: ‘She made a massive impact on children’s lives and they would never have gone to the places they did had it not been for her. She taught them respect and a certain amount of discipline. A lot of them came from broken homes and single parent families. She helped teach them right from wrong.

‘She even spent her own money at times helping fund these days out. One person said to me she was like the Florence Nightingale of Buckland.

‘She was a selfless woman. She did all this as well as raising four boys on her own with no help from our father emotionally or financially. She didn't do it for thanks and never asked for any. She made us strong and respectful.

‘Mum never stopped thinking and fighting for the people of Buckland.’

Jill was also at the centre of a distinguished visit from Princess Diana to the city in 1992. ‘I remember they opened a new little park area on Buckingham Green and they had Princess Diana come down and be the person to officially open it. My mother was one of the people to escort her on the day,’ Gordon said.

‘My mother had the photograph proudly displayed on her mantlepiece for years.’

Earlier in her life, Jill moved to Somerset with her husband who was doing his Royal Marine duties before they divorced and she moved back to Portsmouth.

The family hope to have a bench with her name on put up in the centre of Buckland as a tribute - with £1,200 already donated by people.

Gordon paid tribute to ‘amazing’ Jasmine Shepherd, his brother’s daughter, who dedicated much of her time to Jill when she was seriously ill.

Jill’s funeral will take place on Tuesday at 2.30am at Portchester Crematorium. The wake will ‘fittingly’ be at the Sovereign pub - built on the site of Buckland Youth Activity Centre in Kingston Road.

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