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Death Notice

Kenneth TRENERRY

Published on 08/02/2018

TRENERRY Kenneth Edmund Passed away on Tuesday 30th January 2018, aged 89 years. Beloved uncle of Anne and a dear friend of Betty. 'A true gentleman, loved by all'. Funeral service to be take place at Christ Church on Friday 16th February at 12.30pm followed by the interment in the churchyard. Family flowers only but donations would be appreciated for Threshold Housing Link, Oxfam or Christian Aid c/o Hillier Funeral Service, 170 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3DF. Enqs; Tel: 01793 522797


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Diana Deal February 10th, 2018
Ken was a lovely man, very amusing, warm hearted and great fun.
He was a founder member of Swindon Cyrenians in the 1970s, an initiative to help the homeless people in the town, many of them living in houses left derelict after being earmarked for demolition as part of plans to develop the town. The group, which started with a soup run, later developed into a night shelter and residential homes for men who were otherwise homeless. .
One of his projects was the Cyrenians' Food in the Dustbin project, a forerunner of today's food banks. Churches were asked to fill a bin with food suitable for using at a night shelter. Most collectors carried their dustbins by car but Ken used a bike. This characteristically quirky approach raised the project's profile.
He was tireless in supporting the young volunteers who ran the night shelter and houses, always being positive and seeing the humour in what could sometimes be fraught and difficult situations.
In a piece written for a history of the Cyrenians, he wrote: "At one time I thought homeless people were the dim and uneducated type of person. This is not so, we would get some very intelligent men knocking on our door asking for a bed."
The Cyrenians eventually changed its name to Thamesdown Housing Link, later to become Threshold Housing Link, for which donations will be accepted at his funeral.
He was a great Godfather to one of my three daughters, taking them on trips and always being interested in what all three were doing. He amused them on days out by asking for tickets for him, his friend Betty and the three girls by saying 'two wrinklies and three kiddiwinkies please'.
He had a serious side too, and gave them a scientific activity which involved burying one paper wrapping and one plastic wrapping to see what happened to them both after six months. An early environmentalist.
He was very welcoming and will be hugely missed.