Legacy
Legacy
Please note: this post is 109 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
Our Love Your Neighbour programme brings together older and younger south Londoners for friendship and company. Michael has lived in Brixton for over 50 years, and can't get out as much as he used to. SLC volunteer Jenny now visits Michael each week for a chat, a cuppa and sometimes a tipple!
They get on great and are really enjoying getting to know each other. The weekly company is a tonic for them both! Here they share a bit about their friendship so far.
Michael, 71
"She’s a nice girl to talk to, I have a cup of tea and a chat. I spend a lot of time by myself, and you can get depressed sitting here by myself. It’s good to talk to someone really friendly like Jenny. We talk about all sorts.
We’re friends now I suppose, she’s a nice girl and that’s all I can say about her. I’m 71 now – and I don’t get out all that much now. It can drive me up the wall!
I’d love to go out to the pub, but I’m afraid of falling over, so we’ve had a drink at home instead. I don’t mind as long as I’ve got some good company.
When you don’t go to the pubs, you don’t keep up with anything in the same way, do you? I used to know all the pubs in Brixton but a lot of them have closed down. On the high street there was the Beehive – that was my favourite. Then you had The Queens – there’s flats there now – The Goose – that’s a shoe shop now...I used to go to The Canterbury too. The Duke of Edinburgh has been around for donkey’s years, I used to go there too. I used to help out with the garden there many many years ago when I was fit and young.
We don’t talk about the city too much. I did the groundwork on building sites, and all sorts of stuff like that all over south London. I lived in Clapham and Brixton – first of all on Acre Lane, back in the late 60s. I’ve lived in Brixton for about 50 years, I came here to be nearer to my family to joint the fun. I wasn’t going to stay, I was going to go back to Ireland but then I got to like it. It was easy to get around – you had the tubes, the buses, everything at your fingertips. There were no tubes in Ireland – just walking!
I feel happy to be a Londoner, I know my way around everywhere by now! But I had to learn it when I first arrived like everyone, and I found it hard. People keep themselves to themselves now, and I like to chat to people. People work hard, nights, days and every time of day. I don’t want to disturb people – that’s the way it is in London, everyone does their own thing."
Jenny, 28
"I work on my own, so it’s as rewarding to me to have the company as it is for him. I like the fact that we can talk about anything, and I learn about him, his life and his stories. I love hearing different views and perspectives - he’s from a totally different background to me. It’s rewarding for me because he likes to hear about what I’m up to. It’s an all round good friendship.
Michael is such a nice person to spend time with, he's really easy going. Because his health problems are not easily solved, he’s lost enthusiasm for doctors. Hopefully it helps just to listen when he wants to talk about it.
I know he used to love going to the pub, so it's nice that I can bring him a tipple at home!"
Jenny is one of our Love Your Neighbour volunteers who's made a new friend in an older neighbour. Community friendship!