Best Friends Bringing Joy to Their Community
- barbarabrittain212
- 14 hours ago
- 2 min read
“We’ve been friends for 29 years and we’re like sisters,” Bonnie says with a smile, talking about her lifelong friend, Brenda. It doesn’t take long around the pair to see just how true that is. Brenda’s creativity and love of crafting, combined with Bonnie’s talent for colour and coordination, make them a perfect team—and their community is all the better for it.
Every Thursday at Community Cuppa in St. Petroc’s Church, Brenda arrives with a new craft idea and all the materials needed for anyone who wants to join in. She never asks for anything in return.
“We do it because it brings so much pleasure to those who get crafty,” she says.
And it really does—there’s always plenty of laughter, conversation, and colourful creations by the end of the day.
Their generosity doesn’t stop there. The duo took it upon themselves to fundraise for St. Petroc’s Church, with Brenda and Bonnie personally buying all 15 prizes for a Christmas raffle— “and there’s not a receipt in sight,” they joke with Revd Elaine, as they don't expect payment for any of the items. Among the prizes is even a karaoke machine, sure to have brought some festive fun! The raffle was drawn near the end of St. Petroc’s Christmas Market on Saturday 6 December.
They also supported Beth, one of the Community Health and Wellbeing Workers, and her team’s Christmas Day Dinner at St. Petroc’s Parish Centre, sending along a sack of potatoes to help feed local residents who might otherwise spend the day alone.
When asked why they do so much, Bonnie summed it up beautifully on behalf of them both:
“We appreciate what St. Petroc’s Church and Revd Elaine do for our community, and we think it’s time for the community to give something back. That’s what we’re doing.”
Brenda has called Bodmin home since the 1980s, and Bonnie since the 1970s. To them, this town is family—and their kindness is a reminder of the difference two caring friends can make. “We just like to help,” they say. And help they certainly do.
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