My RHA
Good neighbours
11th October 2022 | posted in News
Two of our residents from York have won our national neighbour of the year award.
Covid restrictions prevented us from making a presentation of its annual award in 2021, so at it’s first residents’ conference for two years recently, it was able to announce both the 2021 and 2022 winners.
By chance, both the winners were from York, which was particularly apt given the conference was also held in York.
Pat Clarkson, from Murrough Wilson Place in York, scooped the 2021 award and this year’s award went to Ken Rollinson, from Woodlea Avenue, York.
Pat, 72, was nominated by her neighbours, Eddie and Pat Flory, who said: “When we first moved in, we were astonished when Pat came to the door with a plate of homemade biscuits and welcomed us to the community.
“But it wasn’t long before we realised that she does a lot of things for the people in the area. She takes in washing if it rains when you are out and helps if you have any problems. We can’t say enough to sing her praises.”
Pat said: “I have always considered myself to be a caring person who liked to help people, although I have never sought reward for doing this. Helping them is reward enough. It was amazing when I learned I had won the good neighbour of the year award, but I honestly don’t think I do anything special.”
One of Ken’s neighbours who nominated him for the 2022 award, Miriam Bright, said: “Ken is a neighbour in a million. He puts the bins out from the garden to the path on collection day, picks up all the branches from the trees on the grass, sweeps our paths of the moss that the birds drop out of guttering.
“He will not take any money for these jobs, so thoroughly deserves recognition for how he helps his neighbours.”
Ken, 81, said: “It’s nice to know that my neighbours think so highly of me and I am touched to have received the award. We have good neighbours around here and we all help each when we can; in my case it’s just something I have done all my life.”
Anne Rowlands, Railway Housing Association Chief Executive, said: “Our own residents voted for the 2021 and 2022 good neighbour award and it’s clear they made good choices in Pat and Ken.
“Both are very deserving, and they are a perfect example of the neighbourliness our residents show to each other.”
