It’s delivery day for MP

MP Debbie Abrahams gets ready to roll with Age Concern staff (from the left) Donna Speat, shopping service co-ordinator, Yvonne Lee, Age Concern chief executive, and driver Stephen Kennedy

LABOUR MP Debbie Abrahams swopped the corridors of power for a day in a delivery van when she helped out with Age Concern.

She took a look at the home shopping service provided for elderly and housebound people by Age Concern Oldham.

Mrs Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, saw at first hand how the service, which is run in conjunction with Lees Co-operative store and Oldham Adult and Community Services, makes up delivery baskets for addresses around the town.

The Safe at Home and Shopping Service is for older, housebound people to receive their regular household requirements.

But it also acts as a caring eye to check on their welfare and identify any needs they may have.

The MP visited the shopping service during a whistle-stop tour of Oldham, where she also spoke with project workers at the main office and chatted to clients at a day care centre.

She said: “It’s been really great to meet the team at Age Concern.People think Age Concern is just charity shops and don’t realise the diversity of what they provide for the people of Oldham.”

Yvonne Lee, chief executive at Age Concern Oldham, said: “While charity shops are the face of the organisation, the independent income they raise is vital to provide some of the services that Debbie saw.”

For more details about the Shopping Service or any other of Age Concern Oldham’s services visit www.oldham-ageconcern.co.uk or call 0161-633 021.