After weeks of dreary Omicron, enforced isolation and shattered plans, we could all do with a Christmas story to cheer us up a bit.
This story takes place in Malmesbury (Wiltshire), and is about a sister and brother from the Netherlands who become homeless. A desperate plea for help and a couple of thousand books are all they need. The community that surrounds them with love, kindness and bubblewrap wraps their lives in compassion. It also gave them a free place to live.
All of this began September 23, as their publishing company was in freefall. Credit cards were stretched to their limit and there was nothing left for their next month’s rent. Arnold, 59 and Bernadette, 63 realized the situation was dire.
‘We had no choice — we had run out of money, we had nowhere to live. Bernadette says that we had to look beyond the boxes.
The couple wrote down a simple script and then printed it. Standing in their cozy living room with Harry the black labrador as their companion, they produced a video appeal on Facebook for their town.
Within 24 hours they had even received two offers of free accommodation for a few months — one a few miles away with some literary acquaintances, the other from a lady called Lisa in Malmesbury itself
Bernadette stated that they are in a “bit of a pickle.” “We are in Malmesbury, and the roof is about to fall off our heads.
We don’t have to buy anything big or fancy. It is enough to keep publishing amazing books on a dry surface with internet access.
Arnold, her brother, stepped in to help. “If you are looking for someone who can keep an eye out on your property, then I’m an ex-officer with the Dutch Grenadier Guards. Now it is all or nothing. It is now all or nothing.
This is an extremely moving video. Two extremely dignified people, in late middle age — it was actually Arnold’s birthday — hardworking, well-educated, fiercely intellectual, who had ploughed everything into their publishing company but now had not a bean between them.
Amazingly, the response came quickly. Within minutes, help offered by complete strangers began flooding in.
They offered everything, from boxes to pack cases to bubblewrap. People of all ages were willing to assist them in moving their bookshelves and furniture.
They must have had a terrible time the past few years as Bernadette and Bernadette poured all of their savings, their souls, their entire pension, their heartfelt efforts to save their company, and the proceeds of the sale of Bernadette’s London apartment into it.
Within 24 hours they had even received two offers of free accommodation for a few months — one a few miles away with some literary acquaintances, the other from a lady called Lisa in Malmesbury itself.
Two lovely, furnished bedrooms at the top of her property with shared kitchen. Perfect. . . we’d never even met her, a total stranger. There was no rent. We just pay the bills.
Many others volunteered to pack, shift, and store the boxes. Bernadette says that she can’t lift them due to arthritis.
It was a diverse group of helpers that included a cross channel swimmer, a cross country swimmer and a cross-Channel rugby player. There was also an 81-year old grandmother, who marshalled her grandchildren and grandson into the fray.
‘The kindness! Bernadette says, “I don’t know what else we could have done.” “We ran out of options.”
They must have had a terrible time the past two years as Bernadette and Bernadette poured all of their savings, their souls, their entire pension, their heart, their lives into the business to try to save it.
Holland Park Press was established in 2009. This company is their passion. It’s a remarkable company that, unlike many others, gives unpublished authors of any age a chance for success and accepts manuscripts from anyone, longhand or not.
Their only focus is poetry and prose, and they clearly see talent. A fifth of their books were nominated and signed. Karen Jennings was a long-listed Booker Prize author and she had her debut novel in 2012.
Covid nearly made it possible. Many bookshops closing and events and markets being erratic have caused takings to plummet by two-thirds. The only book that they were able to afford this year was Schurft in Dutch, Arnold’s latest novel.
Bernadette says, “We need to keep this company going. If we let it go, then we’d be without.” Of course, as things became trickier, they trimmed their cloth smaller and focused on simple pleasures — walking the dog, a beautiful day.
Bernadette gave-up her theatre visits many years ago. Arnold is now restricted to one small cigar per day.
There were no holidays, other than two-day camping trips, and there was no need to buy new clothes. Although she is now a vegetarian, she also stopped eating fish.
It’s too pricey, she claims. ‘But we eat well — I always cook meals from scratch. We still enjoy a glass of wine in the evenings, and I am passionate about cooking.
“And now there is a new Aldi here which has made an enormous difference!” Arnold agrees.
‘Here in Malmesbury the people are amazing — they are warm, they are kind, they are emotional and they have saved us; helping us over the hump so we can get our business back on track next year, find somewhere permanent to live and move forward again’
They never skimped on promoting literature of high quality.
“It’s so essential. It is the thing that is left behind when we’re not there. It exists always. Bernadette said that it tells you about society.
Meanwhile, the kindnesses kept coming — some from the most unexpected quarters. Their landlord had decided to sell their cottage and waived their two-month rent. Then, he allowed them to remain on until the matter was resolved.
Arnold said that Arnold is one the Malmesbury’s many “good people”. ‘There’s something very special going on here — people help each other.’
They hired a van to store all of their furniture. However, the van was upgraded mysteriously to be larger so that everything could fit inside. Multiple storage options were available for the mountain of books.
Arnold and his 20-year old Ford Fiesta were taken to their local garage.
“He kind of waved it off. He said it would be all swept up at the MoT. It’s possible he knew our situation, and he still did so beautifully.
Every time they thought they were done for, someone stepped in — such as the day just before the big move when, in the middle of packing chaos, Bernadette’s computer died.
It was my end. Bernadette says that no laptop is necessary for work.
Their former neighbor came to their rescue. Arnold says that he is very ill with stage four bowel cancer. “But he was able to buy a new one in a matter of days and had it delivered by hand, even though his speech impairments were severe.” They were so generous.
Bernadette & Arnold make a very unusual couple. They are kind, considerate, intelligent, humble and unbowed.
The two of them are very close, and there is no self-pity nor anger.
She holds a doctorate in theoretical Chemistry from Bristol University.
He was a Dutch war hero — a red beret and commanding officer of the 200-strong unit that helped secure Tuzla Air Base in Bosnia for Nato forces in 1994.
He left the army in 1995 — ‘it was not a sufficiently intellectual environment for the long term’ — to write poetry and novels, and moved to Britain in 2016.
He says, “I have never been able to make a lot of money so it’s not something I am used to.” ‘It took me four years to get my first novel published — and Bernadette has helped me out, until now.’
They never got married.
“I knew a Dutch girlfriend, but only saw her twice during the pandemic.” This is not how it’s going! Arnold laughs.
Bernadette never came close. She simply stated, “It just has never kind of worked out for me.” They are close to each other. “We are close.
So instead, they take joy in each other’s company, finish each other’s sentences, live together, work together and jump in quickly to praise each other — Bernadette to applaud Arnold’s wonderful writing; he to admire her courage.
“I’ve done many brave things in my lifetime. He said that in the army he had been bombarded with all kinds of shells. “But, she’s the braver because she never gives up and keeps her head high.
This must have made it difficult when they ran out of money and had no place to call home.
Arnold says, “We were afraid we would end up on the streets.”
It would be hard for them to adjust to living in temporary attic rooms instead of their four-bedroom cottage with all their possessions in storage containers. Bernadette claims it was strangely encouraging.
“There is an oddly liberating aspect to the entire thing. She says that the world has become very materialistic. “Now, we don’t have as much to be concerned about. Our two bedrooms are ours. Both of us can do what we love: cook, sleep, and work. It is possible to move on again, and we can.
“I wish I could purchase everyone a Christmas gift to express my gratitude.”
Arnold finds it confirms his beliefs about his adopted country.
He said that there’s a little anti-British sentiment in the Netherlands right now. However, this country was always a good place to live.
‘And here in Malmesbury the people are amazing — they are warm, they are kind, they are emotional and they have saved us; helping us over the hump so we can get our business back on track next year, find somewhere permanent to live and move forward again.’
They are currently recovering from Christmas Day when Lisa and Lisa’s three children joined them for a big jolly meal in their temporary home. Their two-months ago was a strange time. Bernadette says they are now part of the family.
It is simply amazing.