Shopping lifeline for elderly is praised

Age UK’s Shopping Delivery and Safe at Home services, based at the Co-operative store in Lee

A HELPFUL team that provides a shopping service for the elderly has been nominated for a Pride in Oldham Award.

Age UK’s Shopping Delivery and Safe at Home services, based at the Co-operative store in Lees, go to the supermarkets on behalf of people who are unable to leave the house for various reasons or have limited mobility.

They were nominated by Margaret Wildman (79), who suffers from a chest infection and has limited use of her hands, leaving her unable to go shopping. She has been using the service for 18 months

The team, she said, are very helpful and take her shopping straight to the kitchen for her.

A small charge is paid for the service, but Miss Wildman said that is amounts to the same as a taxi fare home.

Miss Wildman, from Coldhurst, said: “They’re very reliable. They have never let anybody down. It’s good to have somebody who you can depend on. I do think they deserve the recognition — people who have nobody, no family, would be lost without it.”

Members of the Age UK team were thrilled to be nominated.

Yvonne Lee, Age UK Oldham’s chief executive, said: “It’s fantastic to get recognition that we’re having a positive impact on people’s lives – it makes the job so worthwhile.

“Everybody should be able to remain happy and independent in their homes for as long as possible. Delivering shopping to somebody while making sure they’re safe and well is simple but invaluable to many older people across the Oldham borough.”