Kind-hearted man replaces Chesterfield social club's memorial bench after vandals strike

Sheila Botham with Dean Barnett with the new bench for Jack.

A commemorative bench in memory of the late Jack Penney, a committee member and trustee of Victoria Club, on Sheffield Road, was damaged beyond repair on Sunday night.

The club put out an appeal on Facebook and Dean Barnett, of JS Discounts, came to the rescue and delivered a replacement bench within hours.

Sheila Botham, stewardess of the Victoria Club, said: “My faith in humanity has been restored.

The damage caused to Jack's memorial bench on Sunday.

“I was absolutely gutted when I saw the bench damaged. It was heart-wrenching.

“If there had been an accident then I could understand but for someone to do it on purpose I can’t believe it.

“When I told Jack’s family they were devastated.

“What Dean has done is a really, really nice thing to do. I was really gobsmacked.”

Sheila said that the club and beer garden was full on Sunday because of the England match.

A staff member went outside to collect some glasses at about 10.30pm and the bench was in its normal condition but by about 11.45pm it had been destroyed. The people responsible were not caught on CCTV.

Mr Penney passed away five years ago from cancer, aged 78.

“Jack was a proper gentleman,” Sheila added. “He was lovely man and a club man through and through. He has never been forgotten.”