Isn’t it lovely to be looking forward to a ‘normal’ Christmas after the uncertainty of the past few Covid Christmases. Of course, being normal does mean a return to some of the stresses and strains of the season, buying presents for friends and family, making travel arrangements (particularly hard work this year!), shopping for and preparing extra food. We know that Christmas isn’t an easy time of year for everyone, and it can be frustrating that your usual activities and clubs all stop for a few weeks. If you are struggling and need to talk to someone Silver Line, the telephone support line launched by Esther Rantzen in 2013 for older people, is still going strong. It is manned everyday of the year and you can speak to someone by calling freephone 0800 470 8090. The Samaritans can also provide a listening ear and is available for anyone to call at any time of day on 116123. If you are on your own this Christmas it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got some lovely treats to eat, book in a phone call with a friend of family member, and keep yourself occupied with puzzles and programmes on the TV.
We were given some great advice from a local project some years ago: “Your neighbours might not be your dearest, but they are your nearest. Knowing who lives closest to you could be a real benefit should you ever require support. Christmas is a perfect excuse to introduce yourself to your neighbour so why not pop a Christmas card through your neighbour’s door this year?”
If you think we can be helpful in any way please do not hesitate to pick up the phone. We might not have the answer but we are always happy to talk and will help by signposting you on to the right place. It’s been another year of ups and downs, but we’ve loved working with you on such a variety of requests: cooking, laundry and general help around the house, gardening, hair and beauty, keeping feet looking fabulous, battening the hatches from emergency plumbing to interior overhauls, accompanying people to appointments, lovely trips to cafes and getting out and about. We look forward to many more adventures with you in 2023.
In the meantime we wish you a very happy and healthy Christmas.
Loretta and Julie