A MUCH- LOVED FLOWER OF SCOTLAND

Kenny`s

farewell  to his `wee bit Hill and Glen`

A city housing estate gave  local hero Kenny Simpson a spectacular send off when many of the people turned up  for the funeral sevice.

Well over 100  – most of them Kenny`s neighbours from the Petteril Bank estate in Carlisle - attended   the service at Carlisle Crematorium.

His coffin  arrived on vintage seven-ton ERF truck driven by his son, also called Kenny. His dad had driven such trucks for most of his working life . Then came the trucker`s song Eastbound and Down:

East bound and down, loaded up and truckin',
We're gonna do what they say can't be done.
We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
I'm east bound, just watch ol' "Bandit" run.

Ted Maltzahn (left) a  trucking friend from Worcester praised Kenny`s long business comradeship.

 Rev Katie Hyslop, a local priest and friend praised Kenny`s countless acts of kindness to friends and neighbours in Petteril Bank. She said Kenny was a “go - to person” in his community…”always accessible to help, and always available.”

And the service ended with a reminder of Kenny`s Scottish roots- he was born  in Fife- and the pipes played Flower of Scotland:

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen.

  Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277

TENANTS` FEDERATION LOSES TWO KEY MEMBERS

 Steven`s  sudden death is  a double  blow

A second  death has added to the sadness following the death of Carlisle community hero Kenny Simpson whose funeral takes place at 3pm on Friday(May 3) at Carlisle Crematorium.

Steven Hall who has died was a community worker friend of Kenny and lived in the flat above him in Meade Road, Petteril Bank.

Steven was a native of Kendal and ran a public house there prior to moving to Carlisle.

Kenny`s funeral service will be taken by Canon Jim Hyslop, Vicar of Upperby, and associated priest the Rev Katie Hyslop.

Kenny who was 74  died in the Cumberland Infirmary. Steven who was in his fifties died in his sleep at home two days ago.

The two men were long-standing members of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation which publishes this blog. Kenny was Federation treasurer.

A Federation spokesman said today:The death of Kenny and Steven is a big blow to the  Federation. Both continued to play an active part in supporting  Carlisle tenants and residents and will be badly missed.”

Since  Kenny`s death tributes have been paid by community transport colleagues-  up to recently Kenny spent several days a week as a volunteer driver for community buses. In the early days of computers he led the way in giving away dozens of second-hand computers to needy local people .

 Tributes have also been paid to his other community work- he won awards for environmental work clearing the nearby River Petteril.

Then, twenty years ago, he went on to help Carlisle City Council to form a registered  local charity, Carlisle South Community Associatiion.

                                                                       Dale End Park

 Recently the association has taken the lead, alongside the city council`s  Green Spaces,  in planning big improvements to  Petteril Bank`s Dale End Park play area.

Notably at the moment, Kenny has been supporting  Carlilse Tenants` and Residemts` Federation in helping Longtown Action for Heat  community group in fighting the giant  Riverside housing organisation  for affordable heat in the homes of many Riverside tenants in Longtown.


 Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277 .