You Won't Feel The Benefit...

January 1978, my second term of teaching, living in Hemel Hempstead. HH was a 'New Town' and the New Town's Commission had set aside affordable rented accommodation for key workers. As a teacher, I qualified for a first floor, 1 bed flat with a little balcony. I was so happy there. But over New Year I had developed a really bad throat infection. I was off school, and got a GP appointment at 9am. I walked up to the surgery - part of a little run of shops at the end of the road, using a well maintained footpath which ran alongside the OAP complex. I saw the GP, collected the prescription, treated myself to a cake, and set off for home. It was very cold and there had been a hard frost.
As I turned onto the path, I found a little old lady, standing perfectly still and looking confused. "Are you alright?" I asked "I'm scared. It is so slippery, and I am afraid that if I try and walk I will fall over" I held her arm firmly, and together we walked back to her flat. This took quite a while! 
By the time I got to her door, I knew she was a 90 year old widow, Cora originally from the north of England. No family nearby, but very happy within her community. They had connected, independent flats, with 24/7 access to a warden, and a communal lounge where lots of activities happened. And she had good neighbours too. Cora had been out to buy some bread for herself and her neighbour.

"Please come in for a cup of tea" she said. I went into her tidy little home "Take off your coat , or you won't feel the benefit" She became a good friend, and I visited her regularly, getting to know her neighbours, and the warden. The warden said many residents wanted to have a Sunday Worship service as they could not get out to church - so with others from my chapel, I set up a monthly afternoon event. I helped with Christmas Socials and Summer Tea Parties in their central garden area. And winter or summer, Cora would tell us "Take off your coat , or you won't feel the benefit" Five months after meeting Cora, I met Bob. We left HH in the summer on 81 as Bob began ministerial training 
In those 4 years I had learned quite a lot about how elderly people adjust to the problems of age, health issues, managing on a pension, and coping in widowhood. In July 82, I became the Warden in an OAP Sheltered Housing Scheme near the college where Bob was training.
I was reminded of Cora yesterday when I went into Dereham Library. A young woman, Emma, runs an IT help session every Wednesday for people who get confused by technology. And this week she was promoting a new WhatsApp scheme set up by Norfolk Council - called "Ask Cora". It's designed to give unpaid carers easy access to advice and support. She asked me to pin up a flyer in our chapel - and I left her helping a gentleman who was struggling to use the Smartphone his family had given him.

I wonder who decided on the name Cora? We still say "take off your coat, or you wont feel the benefit" occasionally, and remember our friend from almost 50 years ago.