We recently asked our email subscribers to nominate their heroes who have shown simple human kindness, compassion, and care plus helped to lift the gloom during these unprecedented times, we wanted to recognise this kindness and give a selection of these heroes the opportunity to celebrate with a bottle of Chapel Down Brut NV.
We’re thrilled to share with you our winners and their stories.
Winner: Adam Smith
Nominator: Tracey Ayres
“He works with the elderly, gives blood and does a lot of fund raising for charity. He even donated his Christmas presents to people less fortunate than himself. He lives on his own and at the end of the day he goes home to an empty house and I would love for him to have something back.”
Winner: Michelle Mead
Nominator: Sarah Hood
“I’d love to nominate my friend, Michelle Mead. She lives alone which I know has brought its own challenges. Despite this she has remained really positive and is always the first to check in on our group of friends and is there to talk. With us having to home school from this week, she has really thoughtfully organised a Zoom virtual junior bake off for all the children in our group of friends and sent them all Smarties and chef hats to help them with their creations. This truly has helped to lift the gloom in our bubble, and I hope that some bubbles would be a great way to repay her!”
Winner: Jill Ransome
Nominator: Helen Higginson
“I would like to nominate Jill Ransome for one of your bottles of bubbly. I was tested positive for Covid in the new year. Lots of friends offered to add food to their supermarket shop for me. Jill, despite living 10 miles away messaged with “I’m cooking now, how does fresh frittata, ham and coleslaw sound?” An hour later she dropped it off along with a homemade cake.”
Winner: Traviss Whitehead
Nominator: Sheila Buckley
“I would like to nominate Traviss Whitehead a local DJ and quiz master. He and his wife Denise have run virtual quizzes every Tuesday evening raising thousands of pounds for local charities in Kent. I work for Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services and he and his supporters helped us launch an Appeal after our minibus was stolen and burnt. Travis is a local hero because he has helped support so many worthy causes during Covid when so many charities are struggling, and fundraising events cancelled.”
Winner: Paul Bundy
Nominator: Rose Lee
“I would like to nominate my Mum’s neighbour. He has made a bubble with her, he cooks her dinner. We live 100 miles away and we were unable to bring her to us for Christmas. Mum was able to spend Christmas with him. I’m not sure what we would have done without him.”
Winners: Rev. Canon Lindsay Hammond and Rev.
Jeanette Kennett were nominated by over 20 different people.
“We would like to nominate Rev. Canon Lindsay Hammond and Rev. Jeanette Kennett, the Rector and Curate of the Tenterden and Rother Benefice, which also covers Smallhythe. They have both worked uninterruptedly since the beginning of the pandemic, lifting the community’s spirits on a daily basis with a remarkable, varied, entertaining and hugely successful contribution, not only to the churches of Tenterden and district but also to the community at large. Their range of skills has been extraordinary, but over the year we particularly remember the Viral Times, the novella Homewood Bound, the Community Advent calendar, their work with the schools, and the daily bulletins that have never failed to lift our spirits.”
