Age UK Northamptonshire ‘delighted’ by kindness and generosity across the county this Christmas

A Northamptonshire branch of a national charity that supports older people is ‘delighted’ and ‘thrilled’ by the generosity shown across the county this Christmas.

Age UK Northamptonshire says Christmas 2021 has had more ‘lighter and hopeful’ moments for older people compared to December 2020 when tier three restrictions were in place.

The charity credits this improvement to the kindness and generosity of businesses, schools and residents.

Chris Duff, chief executive of Age UK Northamptonshire, said “We are delighted that many local businesses, schools and people have contacted us so that we can pass on gift hampers to the vulnerable older people we support.

“We are thrilled that we can try and help older people to enjoy the festive season with these kind gifts.’’

One of the shows of generosity occurred on December 15, when nine students in Year 11 and their teachers Lizzie Dennis and Brogan Copus from the Purple Oaks Academy in Northampton called into The William and Patricia Venton Centre in Northampton to deliver Christmas gift hampers.

Day Centre manager Bethany Smith, said: “Our day care clients always enjoy meeting young people and having a bit of a laugh together.

“They always find they have so much in common.

“We say a huge thank you to the lovely teenagers and their generous families for helping to make 2021 a very special Christmas for our clients.”

Another happened on December 14 when Lauren Roberts, Charlotte Davey and David McNeilly from Nationwide Building Society's Northampton office visited the Rockingham Road Day Centre in Kettering.

The volunteers wore their wackiest Christmas jumpers to help serve a scrumptious Christmas lunch with all the trimmings and joined in traditional party games to the delight of everyone involved.

Age UK Northamptonshire is also saying a huge thank you to Deacon Jim Hannigan and Nyta Mann of Northampton Caritas whose Love Christmas 2021 campaign has given a bag of festive goodies to 41 older people the charity supports in the county.

Every item was thoughtfully donated by parishioners in the Northampton Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and aims to ‘provide some joy and happiness and let people know they have not been forgotten.’

The gift bags are already being distributed to Age UK Northamptonshire’s clients, focusing on lonely and isolated people in more difficult circumstances.

Finally, Waitrose in Wootton ran a ‘Give A Little Love’ campaign, which donated £375 to Age UK Northamptonshire to help families in need have a Christmas they’ll remember.