St Mary Magdalen Hospital was due to celebrate its 900th anniversary in 2020 but had to postpone due to the pandemic. Trustees are hoping to be
able to reconvene festivities this year and are planning a wonderful celebratory day at Castle Park in Colchester later in the summer.
Michael Siggs is Clerk of St Mary Magdalen and a number of other charities too, so all being well, it will be an incredibly special
day for the almshouse movement.
“We are all ready to start enjoying the longer evenings and the welcome of spring. Now that everyone has had their vaccinations we are looking forward to a return to some ‘normality’ and the excuse for a party is welcomed!
Here in Colchester we have had our fill of plagues and civil wars! 2020 was to have been a celebration of ‘900 Years of Mercy’ but we had to cancel. Our jabs may give us hope that on July 17/18 we can combine our celebrations with the beginning of the end of Covid 19 as well as the 75th anniversary of The Almshouse Association.
We also lost friends and neighbours in 2020, not necessarily to Covid 19, but were not able to remember them at funerals. Perhaps we will also be able to raise a toast to their memories in the formal part of the celebrations.”
Michael Siggs, Clerk of St Mary Magdelene
Methodist Homestead Almshouses Charity are delighted to announce the celebration of 35 years of service for Warden Jenny Heginbothom (along with her husband Geoff, who has been their handyman/gardener for 20 years). Jenny and Geoff are retiring from Methodist Homestead Almshouses Charity this year.
Alistair Cochran, secretary and clerk to the trustees comments,
“Jenny and Geoff have given wonderful service over 35 years and have overseen so many changes in our homes. Over the years they have served countless cups of tea and coffee and more recently provided a monthly Sunday lunch for our residents. During the pandemic, they have encouraged outdoor socially distanced activities including a VE Day party and a MacMillan Coffee Morning. Geoff’s contribution to keeping lawns mowed, hedges trimmed and doing many small maintenance jobs around the site (not least shovelling snow and putting salt down to keep the pathways safe) has been invaluable to us. Our current Chairman commented that they leave big shoes to fill and we will all miss them but wish them well for the next chapter in their lives.”
Thank you, Alistair, for sharing this with us and many congratulations to Jenny and Geoff on their well-deserved retirement!