DENA MURPHY
Dena Murphy had the audience in stitches with her sharp wit and no-nonsense attitude at Pride of Manchester in 2019.
When Kym asked her whether she had bought her frock specially for the occasion, Dena replied instantly: “I’ve had it 30 years. Who in their right mind buys a new frock at 90?”
The audience of celebs and sports stars roared with laughter.
Dena won the award for her devotion to her local community of New Moston, where not only does she grow fresh fruit and veg on an allotment to help feed lonely pensioners and help run a lunch club, but she has also helped hundreds of young offenders learn new skills and repay their debt to society through gardening. So far, she has helped more than 300 young people complete community payback orders.
Quizzed on how she handled offenders, outspoken Dena replied: “They say such daft things. I was only telling someone earlier on. I had this rather brash young man who talked down to me. Well, they don’t do it twice.”
But it was her compassion and indomitable spirit which really shone through, and which is still helping people through the pandemic today..
Dena is the driving force behind a remarkable charity, Nephra Good Neighbours. One of its main aims is to reduce isolation and loneliness in older people, so its help has been needed more than ever this year. Unable to provide a hot meal for dozens of pensioners at its weekly lunch club with the food Dena grows, the lunch club has been replaced with a food delivery service, with nearly 100 freshly cooked meals dropped off to the homes of vulnerable pensioners every week.
Claire Walsh manages the team, and is responsible for Nephra’s remarkable community effort in the face of the difficult restrictions the pandemic has caused.
Meanwhile Dena has been continuing her mission to help from home, reaching out to people on the phone. She has had her first dose of the vaccine and is looking forward to restrictions starting to ease.
She says: “We have some fantastic volunteers cooking up a storm. I can’t express how much gratitude I have for my team who have all stepped up. If any of our pensioners need a shop done, the team will drop off essentials along with the meals.”
NEPHRA has also introduced a new pen pal scheme, where local children buddy up with older residents and keep in contact via letters and drawings which are delivered alongside the meals.
Claire says: “It shows that there are people out there who care. You cannot put a price on that interaction. Dena has been on the phone constantly, checking up on everyone to make sure everyone is OK. She really is the queen of Nephra.”