Woman. 93, has been leaving biscuits out for the bin men for 50 years

A 93-year-old pensioner has kept up a generous tradition by giving the local binmen a pack of biscuits every single week – something she has done for fifty years. 

Hilary Manester, a widower who lives in Mickleover, Derby, has stuck to her generous habit of cheering up the refuse workers on her road by giving them packs of McVite’s Digestives or Fox’s Milk Chocolate Rounds when they come to take away her bins. 

She told Derbyshire Live: ‘It’s an awful job and they’re out in all weathers. It’s so kind of them to come up and get the bins. And they’re so grateful.

‘They always say thank you and tell me they’ll have it with their coffee when they get back.’

A 93-year-old pensioner Hilary (pictured) has kept up a generous tradition by giving the local binmen a pack of biscuits every single week – something she has done for fifty years

Hilary’s age means that she can’t take the bins out herself and her kind binmen knock on her door to get the bins from the garage and take them to the truck in order to help her – she repays them by making sure they have a pack of biscuits to take home.  

Retired Hilary, who spends her time knitting dolls for cancer patients after suffering from the disease herself, started the custom when she lived with her late husband in nearby Alvaston – and has continued it even after he died, popping to Tesco to pick up the sweet treats. 

When asked about her generosity she said: ‘Derbyshire born and Derbyshire bred. Strong in the arm, but weak in the head.’ 

It comes after another heartwearming Christmas gesture was reported this week – a man’s festive light tribute to his friend who died from cancer.   

Mike Witmer has been incorporating his late neighbour’s name into his Christmas light display for 20 years. Pictured: Mike’s home – with a ‘Hi Kevin’ sign – lit up this year

Mike Witmer, 56, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, says passers-by are always confused to see the words ‘Hi Kevin’ incorporated into his festive design every year.

The father-of-two first started the tradition in 2002 when his then nine-year-old neighbour Kevin was diagnosed with cancer.

Mike, who works as a land surveyor, said: ‘Kevin was a cool kid in the neighbourhood – he swam on the local swim team with my kids and we all became friends.

When I heard he had cancer and was going through chemo and radiotherapy, I wanted to support him.

‘I had this idea to write ‘Get Well Kevin’ in my Christmas lights – what 11-year-old doesn’t want to see their name in lights, cancer or not?’

When Kevin began treatment for lymphoma in late 2002, it was unclear whether he would be able to spend Christmas at home with his family.

But on December 23, doctors discharged him so he could spend the festive season with his loved ones – which prompted Mike to create his first festive lights tribute.

Also, a mother was left ‘gobsmacked’ by a stranger’s act of kindness in Tesco after the unknown woman asked her daughter if she believed in Father Christmas.

Mother-of-seven Beth – who has five adopted children – was doing her weekly shop at her local supermarket in Liverpool this month when one of her daughters was approached by the shopper.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, the parent, 49, explained how the woman posed a question about Santa to her daughter as the family were bagging up their shop at the till.

The anonymous woman asked the little girl if she believed in Father Christmas – and after being told she did, the kind stranger insisted on paying for the family’s £140 shop. 

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