Children’s Hospice South West’s, Memorial Fund in memory of Carol, supporting the siblings of life-limited children across Devon and Cornwall
700 copies of Carol’s books sold
The Carol Lay
Memorial Fund
Total raised: £101,040

© Stephen Lay

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STEPHEN’S 1,000 MILE MARATHON MISSION. The first to walk around Cornwall then run The London Marathon raised £25,000




IAN LAY’S London Marathon 23 April 2023 raises £2,852

He has put in the miles, please put in the £££’s to help some youngsters through troubled times.




We are doing the
Moonlight  Memory Walk on 11 Nov 2023
£1,894 raised so far 

Target: £2,000

Click here to sponsor us

Carol Lay

1954 - 2017


Both Carol and Stephen Lay were brought up in Cornwall in South West England. They met at Helston School in 1970.


Carol graduated from a Teacher Training College in Hertfordshire and Stephen from the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall.


They married in 1976. Three days later Carol started her first job as a special needs teacher. A year later Stephen graduated and started working in the local tin mines. They continued to live in West Cornwall.


Carol was committed to pushing the boundaries for her severely handicapped students, many achieving far more than could ever be imagined. The children, their parents and the teaching staff adored "mslay" with her boundless energy and keen sense of fun. In 1996 she won the South West England Teacher of the Year award in recognition of her work.


She gained a Master of Education degree and headship qualifications before retiring in 2005 to accompany Stephen, who since 1993 had been travelling extensively on various mining assignments.


Carol remained committed to helping young people, regardless of their ability, to achieve their potential and was trustee of several local charities and a committed Rotarian.


They have three children and five grandchildren.


Carol had a great interest in horticulture and gardening. She created the gardens and woodland at Bowling Green, Wendron, from two very wet and windswept fields. These were opened under the National Garden Scheme, won several awards and featured in BBC2’s “Open Gardens”.


Carol did not survive her battle against cancer. After a short and very dignified fight she died on 13th February 2017. She is lovingly remembered and very much missed.