Delivering festive joy to our Pamper with a Hamper winners
THESE are some of the wonderful people who were given a Christmas treat in our Pamper with a Hamper competition.
Every year we ask you, our readers, to nominate an over-65 who deserves a hamper – and this year we were flooded with suggestions.
For the 15th year running a total of 140 hampers packed with delicious goodies were put together by the Heart of England Co-operative Society and delivered across Coventry and Warwickshire by TNT.
SOPHIE and Charlotte Malia nominated their grandad Alan Howse for a hamper.
Alan, 71, lives in Walsgrave and chips in with the childcare most days for his daughter Michelle, who works full-time and lives in Bell Green.
Sophie, 10, and Charlotte, seven, said in their nomination: “Grandad looks after us while mum works. Grandad helps us with our homework. We love our grandad to the moon and back.”
“I do help with the homework, we’re doing volcanos right now,” said Alan when he heard what the girls wrote.
“It’s lovely to think they think a lot of me.”
FORMER NHS porter Clive Marsons was delighted to receive his hamper. He was nominated by his brother Anthony to celebrate his 65th birthday
and the fifth anniversary of his retirement.
“It’s fantastic,” Clive said of his time since leaving UHCW. “I spend a lot of time with my grandchildren now, a girl and a boy aged seven and nine.”
RENE Beck, aged 102, is an “amazing lady who always has a smile on her face,” said her friend Ann Brown.
Despite sight problems and a recent fall, Rene was in fine form and delighted to receive her hamper when we paid her a visit at her home in Stoke.
Born in Stoke Aldermoor in 1916, Rene was an office administrator at British Thomson-Houston and Rolls Royce before her retirement aged 60. She has two daughters and three grandsons.
Rene met her friend Ann through Stoke St Michael’s Church, which she used to attend every Sunday, before her fall. Prior to that Rene was an active member of the Mothers’ Union, where she met lots of people.
“We all looked after each other,” she said.
Ann also said Rene is “always interested in other people and never complains”.
“Well. What’s the good in complaining?” said Rene with a smile.
Rene lives with her daughter Pauline. “She’s been here nearly 40 years and I’ve looked after her, now I couldn’t do without her,” she said.
“Now she’s looking after me.
“I’m letting her do the cooking for Christmas this year.”
SARAH Joan Walker from Canley celebrated her 94th birthday on Boxing Day.
Nominated by her son Len, Sarah raised a large family of nine children in Coventry – and she may have even been the first woman in the city to have triplets!
When our editor Keith Perry dropped in to see her, Sarah shared this precious
photograph of triplets Jennifer, Janice and John, pictured with daughter Angela, who would have been about 18 months old.
On receiving her hamper, Mrs Walker said: “It’s lovely, I will share it.
“It’s the first time I have ever had anything given to me. I am always giving, usually.”
Sarah still takes mince pies and sandwiches up to The Westwood club, and gives the binmen sweets every week. So it’s fitting that we can help give you a treat, Sarah!