It's time to say thanks to our unsung heroes

Published on Wednesday 13 May 2009 09:57

Good neighbours, tireless carers, inspirational youth workers – the Evening News is on the look-out for unsung heroes who make this city a better place to live. Our Community Awards, sponsored by The Post Office, celebrate people who make a real difference – like Anne McBurnie, below, winner of last year's best carer award. There's just over a week left to get your nominations in for this year's competition – for the details on how to enter, see our panel on the right. Nominations

TOM BONALLO

BEST NEIGHBOUR NOMINEE

It's all too easy for communal gardens to become overgrown and havens for litter – but not the patch tended by Tom Bonallo outside his home near Oakfield Place.

And that's why Martyn Lambourne, 64, an architectural designer from Briery Bauks, near Holyrood Park, who has watched Tom Bonallo care for the garden for the last eight years, has nominated the 84-year-old for the Best Neighbour category.

Mr Lambourne says: "I first met Tom when I moved into the area back in 2001. It was clear that Tom was one of the most well known, and well liked, people in the area.

"I'd already seen him working away in the garden. He'd been doing it for many years before I arrived, and every year since I've been here.

"He keeps the garden very tidy, gathering up the litter and watering the plants.

"The garden can get very untidy as it's in a conservation area, and the meadow is full of wild flowers such as cowslips and bluebells, which have a tendency to grow wild but Tom manages to keep them in check.

"I'm sure it gives him something to do since his wife died a couple of years ago, but even when she was alive he could still be seen busily working away.

"He's quite an active person anyway. Just the other day he was telling me how he got the bus to Gullane and walked all the way along the coast to Dirleton, so I'm sure the gardening keeps him fit as well.

"Lots of people walking up and down the footpath will stop and chat to him, making him quite a well-known local character. He gets on well with everyone.

"Recently, he single-handedly cleared accumulated litter from the plant beds. It took him a couple of days, as it's a long fenced-off embankment and the litter tends to gather behind the railings. It's really a job for the council but Tom just took it upon himself to do it without a word of complaint."

Typically self-effacing, Tom admits to being "a bit embarrassed" by the nomination for doing what is basically just a hobby to get him out of the house.

"It was very nice of the neighbours to nominate me but I don't do anything special" said Tom, who helped design the garden's layout with neighbour John Larg 18 years ago.

Along the way they've had some help from the Princes Trust and The Scottish Wildlife Trust, who have come along and laid out the rock-garden and planted hedge rows.

"John was the man with all of the contacts and he got things moving, but he's got a bad back now so he's a bit restricted with what he can do these days. He was the brains behind the operation. I just helped him out.

"Being retired, I enjoy being out in the open air and tending the garden gives me a bit of a change from walking, and passes the day nicely."

Tom, a retired glazier, has had a bit more time to tend the garden since his wife Margaret died aged 78, four years ago, but he still has many fond memories of the time they spent in their dear green place.

He adds: "Margaret used to walk down to the end of the garden while I was out there with a flask, and we would sit on the benches and have a nice cup of tea.

"She enjoyed coming over and having a blether."

JOE FORTUNE

BEST COMMUNITY WORKER

His fans include former world super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur and he has dedicated almost a lifetime to the club he loves and the young lads who train there.

But 78-year-old Joe Fortune hasn't had anything like the credit he deserves for his work with Leith Victoria Boys Boxing Club, according to his sister in law, Ann Fortune.

"He is a very modest man but he's done so much work over the years," she says. "If it wasn't for Joe, a lot of kids would be in trouble. And he has a lovely cheeky personality."

Joe joined the club – which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year – when he was just 12 years old.

He fought as an amateur for Sparta and turned professional in 1953 at the age of 22.

But trying to juggle the demands of family life – he and wife Hugina had six children – and his day job as a window cleaner proved hard work and he moved into coaching in 1960, returning to Leith Victoria.

Now the club's president, he has seen hundreds of youngsters pass through the doors and while few go on to the kind of success Arthur has enjoyed, many have benefited from the training and discipline the club offers.

"We are taking kids off the streets," says Joe. "If they weren't training for boxing they would probably just be running about on the streets. And when you are in the corner with them, you are like their father."

Joe's own family life has been touched by tragedy – his wife died in 1980 and his son Derek died of leukaemia aged just 14. "I didn't bother with the boxing for a while then," he says.

Now he's a grandfather of 12 and claims he can't even count all his great-grandchildren – and he was completely speechless at the thought of being nominated.

His sister-in-law, however – who was married to Joe's late brother John – has no doubts.

"I think he should get the MBE," she says.

WRIGHT OF COMISTON

BEST LOCAL SHOP NOMINEE

To the best of Wright of Comiston owner David Wright's knowledge, the unit at 111 Comiston Road has been a greengrocers for over a century.

Perhaps this is the reason why Prestonfield Primary School headteacher Lorraine Richardson nominated Wright's, which she described as "reminiscent of the best of the 1940s and 50s", for Edinburgh's best local shop award.

"Mr Wright provides an outstanding service to the local community which is well beyond the call of duty or the lure of profit," said Mrs Richardson.

"Like Jimmy Stewart in the film It's a Wonderful Life, he is a modest man who does not promote himself and is probably unaware of the impact he has on the community."

Had Mr Wright, who lives in Corstorphine, not taken over the old store from its previous owner Bill Logan 20 years ago, is it possible that Comiston could today be over-run by drunks and strip-joints like a real life Bedford Falls?

"Well, I don't know about that!" said Mr Wright, modestly.

"I'm 62 now, the same age Mr Logan was when he retired from ill health 20 years ago, and I can honestly say the thought of retirement has never even crossed my mind.

"I just come to work and get on with it. There's never a day when I think I can't face going to work.

"I haven't changed the store since I bought it, and as far as I know it hadn't changed from the time Mr Logan bought it 20 years previously so perhaps that 1950s feel is authentic.

"I just offer plain old counter service, which is a bit different from the self service that the young ones are used to in Asda or Tesco, but was part of life for the older ones.

"I'm grateful to have a very loyal customer base, but I'm still very surprised to be nominated."