Eggs-tra ways to reduce loneliness

Social enterprise Be Well helped make sure 150 isolated elderly people didn’t miss out at Easter.

The not-for-profit organisation, which works with older people to reduce loneliness, joined a partnership of individuals, businesses and other community groups dedicated to sourcing and distributing chocolate eggs and other sweet treats to local people who were still confined to their homes by Covid-19.

The partners, led by Jo Gregory of Hummingbird Hubs, included Mimi’s Cafe in Hollingworth, Glossopdale Food Bank and Willow Bank Residential Home in Hadfield, all of whom either sourced the eggs or distributed them, or both.

Vicky Murphy, who led the project for Be Well, explained why she had got involved.

She said: “While Easter can be a special time for families, for some in the community it’s another reminder of their isolation and this is especially true for older people living in alone. We have seen through our work on our monthly magazine The Be Well Bugle and our pen pal project Do the Write Thing, just how much someone thinking of you helps buoy the spirits.

“When I heard about Hummingbird Hub’s Easter initiative I felt we had to get involved. Jo was happy to widen her partnership and benefit even more elders stuck at home.”

Jo, who masterminded the ‘Give an Egg, Raise a Smile’ project, praised everyone involved.

She said: “It’s so rewarding to see our community come together and help each other. Along with the 150 Eggs for Elders aspect, the wider project saw 700 eggs - 100 donated by individuals and families.

“Without people like Vicky, organisations like Be Well and all the compassionate and generous individuals who took the trouble to get eggs to our collection points, this would never have happened.”

The eggs were distributed to: 60 to Crossroads Derbyshire, 30 to Cascade, 120 to Glossopdale Foodbank, 50 to G52 in Gamesley, 50 to Lia Roos in Fairfield for families 100 to Glossop Family Social Services, 95 to People of Whitfield, 200 to Pauline Town and the Town House for the homeless and children in Ashton, 50 to Marianne at Mimi’s Cafe in Hollingworth, 70 to The Bureau and 16 to Willow Bank Residential Home.