HH combined Feb 25 JW - Flipbook - Page 23
Write to Editor, Hayling Herald, 64 Elm Grove, Hayling Island PO11 9EF or editor@haylingherald.co.uk
Letters Hayling Herald
In memory of Andy Lenaghan
Following the tributes to Andy Lenaghan in January’s Hayling Herald, more kind words have been sent in by Islanders moved by the loss of such a great community stalwart...
From Mary Dennison, Andy’s sister
IT IS so difficult to sum up in a few words how I felt about
Andy.
As my older brother he was funny, lovable, forever smiling and
happy, no matter what he was going through and always had a
cheery word to say to people.
Stories abound about the funny things he did, such as wrecking our mum’s cloakroom when she asked him to change a
lightbulb for her.
Having received a slight shock after failing to switch off the
electricity first, he fell off the steps, broke the sink and the toilet
seat – that was Andy!
His death has left a huge gap in our family’s lives. Thank you to
everyone who came to his funeral.
It really was wonderful to see you all and to realise how much
Andy meant, especially to Island people.
From Kathleen O’Neill
I WAS shocked and very sorry to hear of Andy Lenaghan’s
death, he was such a nice, kind man.
He responded immediately over an issue when he was the local
councillor and even after he had resigned.
When my son set up a summer football league years ago at
Hayling Park, he was right behind it and attended the matches.
He is the only Conservative I have ever, and will ever, vote for.
I told him this once when I saw him in Tesco and he said: ‘You’re
not the first person to say this to me.’
He had such a great sense of humour. I remember once when
I was leafleting for the Labour Party, I dropped one through his
letterbox he came out to speak to us.
I jokingly said I would like to get a picture of him holding the
leaflet and he said he would not mind. How I wish my husband
had taken that picture.
I take great comfort that he admitted to me he did not vote for
Boris Johnson. He was a Conservative, in my opinion, from a
bygone age.
Thanking the ‘splendid’ HVS
Dear Editor
IT is most likely that many Islanders will be
aware of the services offered by HVS.
In Elm Grove they have two shops, the charity
shop close to where TSB used to be, and the other, The Haven Cafe, directly opposite.
Firstly, the shop is the responsibility of Wendy and her wonderful group of volunteers. The
profit they make goes towards helping the Haven
Cafe which is the responsibility of Liz and her
group of volunteers.
Over time the cafe has evolved and each Mon-
day lunchtime hosts a group of pensioners, the
oldest being 100! They gather together from
about midday onwards when they are supplied
with teas and/or coffees by Gay.
At 12.30pm they sit down to a main course
which always contains our five-a-day.
When the table is cleared, Maurice, one of the
pensioners, will normally set two quizzes – one
easy, the other hard.
There is much laughter, and over time many
friendships have developed, and indeed kindnesses have been undertaken. For example, Peter
and Carole Burton pick up three of the diners
each week and bring them to the cafe, and then
return them home after the meal.
Liz, Gay, Wendy and all the other volunteers
are held in the highest esteem by the diners, who
every week express their delight in the variation
of the meals.
As a group we take this opportunity of thanking HVS for this splendid idea.
Yours faithfully,
Two very grateful diners,
Hayling Island
23
