Newport street remembers five residents who died during lockdown
A close-knit Shropshire community held a service for five among them who died during the coronavirus lockdown, to make up for the disruptions to their funerals.
Five residents of the Elkington Close sheltered housing scheme in Newport died over the last few long months of lockdown, though not of coronavirus itself.
Their names were Eric Heal, Muriel Wheeler, Gladys Jones, Ron Platt and David Blake.
Because of the restrictions on gatherings of people, their families and friends could not meet in the numbers they would have liked to remember them.
Now that rules are being eased, the committee of residents at the scheme organised a safe outdoor event for 30 people, with a service from Reverend Zoe Heming, of nearby Church Aston, and the planting of a pear tree by the town mayor.
The Reverend read a number of passages including Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd) and invited those watching the service to speak.
Family and friends of those who died spoke warmly about how the Bromford housing scheme had made them feel welcome.
John Bradley, who came to the area 10 years ago, spoke about how two women including Muriel Wheeler welcomed him on his first day.
He said: "After that, they were not neighbours – they were very good friends. Most people on this estate will always help anyone that needs it.
"This moment is not just for the ones we have just lost, but for all those in the past."
Mr Heal's daughter, Stephanie Clift, spoke of how happy her father was in the 20 years he spent at Elkington Close.
He came to the neighbourhood after the death of his wife Margaret and Mrs Clift feared that he would not survive on his own, but to her surprise he found a new lease of life.
"He was really happy here, he blossomed when he came here.
"He loved playing cards with you all. He loved sitting out on his sun lounger, with a big glass of wine and his big fat cigar. He would have a comment for everyone who went by.
"Thank you to everyone here. He loved being here, you are a lovely community."
Mr Heal died of cancer in April, aged 92. Mrs Clift recalled that in his last days in hospital he would call out for Margaret.
"She had been gone for years but she was still there with him."
Anne Burns, of the committee that organised the event, read her poem Gone Are The Days, vowing that those who died will not be forgotten.
After the pear tree was planted by mayor Peter Scott and blessed by the Reverend, family and friends of the deceased took turns to sprinkle soil around it before enjoying refreshments and remembering their loved ones.
Reverend Merry Smith of St Nicholas Church in Newport also attended the service and chatted to the residents and family members.
Janet Pollard, the daughter of Gladys Jones who also died in April of cancer, said it had been "surreal" losing her mother only a few hours after her cousin died in the middle of the pandemic.
She said the service was a "beautiful" tribute to the people who died.
"[My mother] was very happy here, it's such a lovely community. My mum was a tiny woman but she could eat for England!
"You couldn't help liking her, they were all very nice here."
Cllr Scott said the service was a novel idea for "unprecedented" times.
"I wonder whether other communities who have have had similar things happen to them might decide this is for them."
