Cambridge News | 7 February 2020

Page 1

CAMBRIDGE NEWS | 1

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2020

12,650 copies weekly

Your Local Independent Paper

Meet our Dennis…

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Viv Posselt catches up with an 88-year-old who she thinks could be a “strolling Santa”. By Viv Posselt

Dennis Lloyd is a true Cambridge gem. In many ways, he is the person everybody knows, but no-one knows. He is the dapper gentleman with the ramrod-straight back, usually seen walking through town with his walking frame and frequently spotted gifting soft toys to children he meets along the way. His generosity was recently highlighted in a couple of postings on the Cambridge Grapevine Facebook page. One was from Talita Kruger, who uploaded a photograph of Dennis gifting a soft toy to her three-year-old daughter, Eloise. Was she surprised at the gesture? “Yes, very surprised. Eloise carried the two teddies around with her all day … she adores them. He’s such a kind man, an absolute treasure,” she said. “We moved here from Auckland four years ago and have been amazed by the kindness of this community. We feel very lucky to live here.” The slew of responses to Talita’s image – and to another online posting – show how deeply appreciated Dennis is. Comments allude to his ‘snazzy’ dressing, his kind and unselfish heart; they describe him as a ‘champion and beautiful gentleman’, a Cambridge icon who restores faith in humanity. “Now this is what I call magic,” said another. Dennis, who turns 89 in a few months’ time, was unaware of the fuss, primarily because he doesn’t really ‘do’ Facebook. He prefers face-to-face communication and besides, he is more accustomed to online chats with a ‘higher power’. It was a friend who showed him to the posts. Time spent with Dennis reveals so much more than just his soft heart and teddy bears. It turns out he was one of five children born to a family in the Welsh valleys, where coalmining and frugal living were the norm. Desperate to get out, he spent time in the Royal Air Force and then the Merchant Navy, travelling widely. He taught himself to become a ventriloquist and put himself through theology college, becoming a Baptist pastor who authored 26 books on theology and ended up with an honorary doctorate in theology, bestowed Continued on page 2

Cambridge’s ‘strolling Santa’, Dennis Lloyd.

Love your smile.

Buying or Selling? Call: OPEN 7 DAYS Located at 41 Empire Street 07 827 7099 www.cambridgevets.co.nz

Tony Mills

Residential Sales Consultant

0800 35 34 34

With the very best of dental care in a modern, relaxing environment.

127 Shakespeare Street Leamington 07 823 4665 leamingtondental.co.nz


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.