Kindness in Condercum Court

Kenneth Smith of Condercum Court, Benwell got in touch with us to ask a special favour for some exceptional neighbours. He wanted to say thank you to two neighbours who brighten his community with their boundless kindness. He explains…

“Penny Cookson and Eileen McFadyen have put themselves out to help other people and I think it’s about time they got the recognition they truly deserve.

I could have sent them a card or a bunch of flowers but I wanted to do something extra special. I thought a thank you in our magazine would show just how much they are appreciated.”

Meet Penny - The social secretary with a big heart.

Penny was the very first person Kenneth met when he moved into Condercum Court thirteen years ago, and he couldn’t have had a warmer welcome.

It wasn’t long before he realised Penny’s natural skills at organising and bringing people together to have fun.

Whilst caring for her late husband Colin, Penny organised a whole host of social events for the estate. From social nights, suppers, days out, discos and raffles, Penny was at the heart of it all, dedicating her time and energy to creating memories her neighbours would cherish for years to come.

Penny ran Condercum Court Social Club for eight years, taking a break when the pandemic struck and Colin passed away. Though she’s no longer organising get togethers, Penny remains central to life on the close-knit estate, taking in parcels, dealing with tradespeople and helping wherever she can.

Kenneth said: “Penny gave us all such lovely things to look forward to and I know we all treasure those memories. She is such a gifted organiser and makes it all seem effortless but it takes a special person to bring people so much happiness like that. She continues to be a ray of sunshine for all of us.”

Penny said: “It’s so lovely of Kenneth to do this! It’s nice to be appreciated, although that’s not why I did it. It was just lovely to see people’s happy, smiling faces and to see them enjoying themselves. I’d like to say thank you to Kenneth too, he’s been absolutely marvellous since my husband died and keeps an eye on me. That’s what good neighbours do.”

Meet Eileen - The kindest cook on the block.

Every Sunday for months, school catering  .manager Eileen spent her day off turning her own one-bedroom flat into a makeshift canteen to feed Condercum Court!

She’d pop up her wallpaper pasting table in the living room, ready to dish up thirty delicious lunches lovingly prepared in her kitchen. Plates piled high with a choice of meat, six vegetables, mash, roast potatoes and all the trimmings would then be delivered with a smile to neighbours.

The meals became a real talking point during the height of Covid, giving elderly and isolated residents something to look forward. And as restrictions eased, some asked Eileen to cater for neighbours’ family members too so they could share a meal together.

Eileen suffers from arthritis so is taking a break from her Sunday lunch-making but has plans to get back in the kitchen once she retires in the autumn.

Kenneth says: “She did all of that shopping and preparation on her precious day off from work and when she’s not in great health herself. It meant so much to us, the people who enjoyed her food. It’s such a lot of effort to make a meal like that when you’re on your own so most people just don’t bother. But to have a fantastic, balanced meal like that was a real highlight of the week.”

Eileen says: “I’m a feeder by nature! Food really brings people together and I absolutely loved doing this to make people happy. It made me feel really good to hear how much they looked forward to my meals. I’d love to do something similar in future so watch this space!”

Did you know?

We run an annual campaign to celebrate the kindnesses of our communities. Twelve Deeds of Christmas recognises the stars in our communities who shine all year round. Look out for information later in the year for how to nominate someone you know.