'Covid hero' Stephen Hope of Hexham Community Centre retires

Stephen Hope, from Corbridge, retired today (Sunday, June 30) after 25 years working at Hexham Community Centre.

Many readers nominated him as the latest Person of the Week, including Jacqui Hogg, who said: "He was a Covid hero and has worked tirelessly for the Community Centre."

Stephen Hope at the Community Centre during the first Covid lockdown (Image: Hexham Community Centre)

Kayla Bell said: "Lovely man and a key part of the Community Centre. Many years of helping others to connect, giving up each Christmas to make sure people aren't alone - absolute legend."

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Jill Goodfellow, manager of the centre, said: "In his time at the Centre, Stephen has become an absolute cornerstone of not just the Centre but also the wider community in Hexham.

"Stephen is best known by many for the weekly Lunch Club, for which he has done the cooking and organising for many years, serving a hot two-course meal to around 20 older and vulnerable members of the community each week.

Stephen at the centre on Christmas Day 2020 (Image: Hexham Community Centre)

"During the Covid-19 lockdowns, Lunch Club became a Meals on Wheels service and Stephen prepared meals for over 40 people, and coordinated a team of volunteers to deliver them to people’s homes.

"He would also ring around each person to check on their wellbeing at what was a really stressful and isolating time, earning him one of the town’s Golden Gnomes for being a lockdown hero.

"Stephen has also given up his own Christmas Day for many years to help prepare and serve Christmas Dinner to hundreds of people who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day."

He led a weekly intergenerational afternoon tea group, with members of Hexham Youthy coming together with a group of older people to share stories and play games.

"Stephen always greets people with compassion and is able to use his own energy to lift group members who might be struggling," Jill said.

"Thousands will know Stephen as a friendly face working on Reception at the Community Centre, welcoming people attending various groups or heading to meetings and offices, occasionally treating them to a song."

Outside of work, Stephen is a key member of local choirs and an enthusiastic cinema-goer. For his retirement gift, the Community Centre has sponsored a seat at the Forum Cinema for him.

Jill added: "Stephen will be a greatly missed member of the team at Hexham Community Centre, not only as a reliable and hardworking colleague but also for his compassion and dedication to providing a place and a purpose for people to come together."