Horncastle couple in their 80s receive Good Citizens Awards

​The council’s Good Citizens Awards took place on Wednesday (June 21), which recognise the efforts of local volunteers, with four categories of awards; Individual, Young Citizen, Community Group, and Pair or Couple.

The winners of the Couple category were Bill and Maggie Anderson, from Horncastle, whose hard work supporting a vital local cause stems from their experiences of being on the brink of being homeless when their son Brian was just three years old.

"Back in the 1960s there wasn’t the protection that there is now, and when our landlord heard we were moving to a police house in 14 weeks, we were told to leave now,” Maggie remembered.

Faced with being left homeless until they could move to a house in Louth, they were luckily offered a caravan on a friend’s land to stay in.

"They were absolutely wonderful,” Maggie said, “I said to her I don’t know how to thank you.

"She said to love your neighbour, and one day, if you can, do something to help someone in the same position.”

Then ten years ago, Maggie happened to spot a post by ECHO (East Coast Homeless Outreach) on Facebook that said if parents weren’t sure what to buy their children for Christmas, to consider buying a sleeping bag and donating it to ECHO instead.

When they found out more about the good work ECHO does, they decided to help ECHO, collecting good quality warm clothes, sleeping bags and toiletries as well as other items that can help homeless people.

Now in their eighties, their hard work is so successful that Bill’s shed has become a permanent donation station!

Bill and Maggie have paid tribute to the ECHO frontline volunteers who help to feed the homeless in Lincolnshire, who they say are "real heroes", and have extended their thanks to the many community groups who have donated items to the cause:

"We are helped by a lot of people and we couldn’t do it without them,” Bill said, “All of the clubs, churches, WIs, schools – you name it, we’ve been helped by them.”

"Everyone is so kind,” Maggie added, “The people of Horncastle are so good when they know there is a need.”

One of the biggest campaigns they carry out is putting together Christmas bags filled with toiletries, hand-knitted hats, gloves, scarves and socks, chocolates and a pen and notepad, making sure that those on the streets have some festive cheer.

They also promote ECHO by holding talks at local groups which generate much-needed funds on behalf of the organisation.

Karen Holland, East Lindsey Community Co-ordinator for Lincolnshire Co-op, who nominated the couple, said: “The couple will never forget how close they came to being homeless.

"That memory has remained with them and when most in retirement spend time on themselves, Bill and Maggie continue to do all they can to help homeless people.”

Maggie said that what keeps them going is the messages of thanks from people who ECHO have helped over the years:

"We had a thank you letter once which said "Thank you ECHO, we would be dead without you” and it really stayed with me,” she said.

The couple were presented with their award at the ceremony which took place at the Lincolnshire Show (see pages 8-9 of this week’s Horncastle News for full coverage of the show), hosted by Lincolnshire County Council chairman Coun Robert Reid.

Maggie added: “We were so honoured to receive our award, all of the other recipients were very worthy as well.”

Coun Reid said: “I am proud to say that our county has a great tradition of volunteering, so, with that in mind, the county council created the Good Citizens Awards to give us the opportunity to recognise our own unsung heroes.

“This year's winners are truly inspirational and make a huge difference to their communities through their unstinting commitment.

“The winners were chosen from a host of nominations covering all corners of the county and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to tell us about the unsung heroes from their communities.”

ECHO are always appealing for warm clothing for homeless people, as well as sleeping bags, toiletries, sanitary products, deodarant, and warm clothes including jeans, tracksuit bottoms, and trainers. These can be dropped off at Bill and Maggie's donation point at the Laurel’s Service Station on Spilsby Road in Horncastle.