Soldier’s widow rescued by charity
Nov 13 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal
A WOMAN last night spoke of her debt to a forces charity which helped her following her husband’s death.
Janet Penelope Cooper, known as Penny, is grateful for the assistance of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help (SSAFA) since husband Kevin died last May.
Kevin had been with the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers for nine years but left for medical reasons, having suffered from depression, before meeting Penny in 1997.
The pair married in 2001 and had a son Kieran. They moved from Sheffield to Adderstone, near Belford, in Northumberland in March last year, with Kevin no longer fit to work.
The property they bought was in a rundown state but he planned to bring it up to a liveable standard.
However, as he worked in the garden one day last May, Kevin suffered a heart attack and died, aged 48.
Penny felt numb and did not know where to turn following the loss of her soul mate.
To add to her troubles, her Blacksmith Cottage home needed extensive work to its roof, kitchen, bathroom, floors, carpet, doors and paintwork, and she had neither the money nor means to do what was needed.
However a neighbour and the funeral director referred her to the SSAFA, which provides lifetime help to spouses of anyone who has been in the forces.
Its public awareness, fundraiser and case officer for Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, Brian Finlayson, got involved. SSAFA has no money of its own, but on Penny’s behalf, he costed the work that needed doing then approached numerous forces charities, including the Regiments Benevolent Fund and the Royal British Legion, which provided the necessary funds.
As a result, thousands of pounds worth of work was carried out at Penny’s home over six months.
The 52-year-old last night said the SSAFA help had been vital.
“I obviously was not up to doing the work myself. I do not know how I would have coped.”
Penny is a full-time mum to 13-year-old twins from a previous marriage, Rosie and Alex Acaster, who are pupils at Alnwick’s Duchess’s High School, as well as Kieran, who is now seven and a pupil at Belford First School.
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