Birthday wishes welcomed as Preston community ‘legend’ turns 80 this June

Ollie Hanson hails from Northern Ireland but has called Preston home for many years. Pic: Hanson family.

The family of a Preston community stalwart is encouraging people to send their birthday wishes as he turns 80 this June.

Ollie Hanson, who lives in Fulwood, has been a well known figure in the local community for more than 40 years.

A teacher at St Cecilia’s RC High School in Longridge from 1981-1985, he went to teach at St Anthony’s Primary School, Fulwood, from 1985-2010 where he taught all four of his own children, as well as his eldest grandchild.

As well as this he was a youth worker at Star Youth Centre in Ashton between 1985-2010, where he was lovingly nicknamed Sinbad as he had a dark beard and moustache, and he was also the athletics coach at Preston Harriers for 10 years.

After he retired he became a volunteer at Ribble Steam Railway, along with his wife Jo, and for the last decade he has even played the role of Father Christmas at local schools and play groups, at Canal Boat Cruises at Riley Green, Ribble Steam Railway and even home visits.

Born in Ballymena in 1945, he is father to Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca and Kieran and grandad to Erin, Asa, Leo, Freddie and Roscoe.

And as he turns 80 on 5 June this year, the family is calling on people who know Ollie to share their birthday wishes by recording a short video and sending it through.

Daughter Sarah said: “Dad never forgets a past pupil and would not just remember them by name but also their brothers and sisters, what they were all good at and also what their parents did. The man is a walking encyclopaedia of so many generations in Preston and now knows their children and grandchildren.

“He is respected and adored by so many and on his 80^th birthday we’d love to be able to share people’s well wishes with him.”

If you have fond memories of Ollie, feel free to film a message in landscape format of up to 30 seconds and upload it to: https://tinyurl.com/4bwfdspu by Friday, 16 May.

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