Wanted: two drinking pals for dad

An elderly man who couldn't find a drinking buddy has two new companions thanks to an advert placed in the local post office by his son.

When Jack Hammond, 88, moved from his flat in Hampshire, southern England, to a care home 20 miles away, he couldn't find anyone to have a beer with. Nearly all of the residents of the home are women and Hammond, a radar technician during the second world war, felt embarrassed asking the ladies to go for a drink with him.

As a last resort, Jack's son, Mike, put an advert in the post office asking for a man with similar interests to accompany his dad to the pub. He offered $14 an hour plus expenses.

Mike had so many offers - including one from a 16-year old - that he interviewed all the candidates by phone. He then asked a shortlist of three men to join him and Jack for a trial drink in the pub. The successful pair were Henry Rosenvinge, 58, a former doctor, and Trevor Pugh, 78, a retired kitchen fitter. They will now spend several nights a week with Jack chatting about military history and current affairs.

Pugh said: "I like having topical discussions and meeting new people and I'm happy to take him down to the pub. We are both ex-army so we have that in common."

Pugh will accept the hourly fee, but will not take the expenses.

Rosenvinge will do the job for free. He said: "He has a lot of stories and we are both from Lancashire so we have a lot we can talk about."

Jack's son Mike has no regrets: "My father would rather have found his own friends, but he is limited in what he can do. This shows what happens when you lose your independence. Care homes don't really cater for individual needs."

"He wanted me to take him out seven nights a week, but I can only do a couple of nights. He'll now be going five nights a week - three with his new friends and twice with me."

Lesson Plan

Tell students they're going to read an article about a British man, Jack Hammond. Show the photo around the class (minus the caption). Ask: How old is he? What does he like doing? STudents speculate in pairs. Feedback. If possible cover vocabulary: to chat, pal, buddy, go for a drink - 8 mins

Write the following gapped headline on the board: Wanted: two ____ pals for dad. First, encourage students to identify who "dad" is. Then speculate on the missing word. Give the answer "drinking" and encourage students to think what the article might be about. - 5 mins

Write the following questions on the board. Check unknown vocabulary. Give out the article.Students read and choose the correct words. Feedback. - 12 mins

1. Jack Hammond moved into a new flat / care home.
2. Jack couldn't find anybody to drink beer / tea with.
3. Most of the people that Jack lives with are men / women.
4. Jack's son put an advert in the local post office / pub.
5. Mike had a lot of / only a few offers to take his father for a drink.
6. In the end, Mike and Jack chose two / three men to do the job.
7. Jack and Trevor Pugh were both in the police / army.
8. Mike now goes for a drink with his dad twice a week / month.

Ask the class: Why do you think Trevor Pugh and Henry Rosenvinge were chosen to be Jack's drinking pals? Students look back at paragraphs four to seven to find ideas. - 5 mins

Tell students you are going to focus on two conversational skills. As a class brainstorm ways of showing interest: Really? That's interesting, That sounds great. (demonstrate correct intonation). The move onto ways of keeping a conversation going: Oh yes, I once ... too, tell me more about your ..., What's it like? etc. Put students into pairs. One student is the main speaker and talks about a recent holiday, a hobby etc. The other student shows interest and if the conversation stops, must use strategies to keep it going. Which pair in the class can keep their conversation going the longest? Students swap roles and repeat. etc. - 20 mins