13 Apr Local home care company brings Easter cheer to local seniors
Local home care companies, Home Instead Braintree and Home Instead Colchester, have brought some Easter cheer to local elderly people with their ‘Be a good egg and crack loneliness this Easter’ campaign.
The initiative saw them ask the local community to donate chocolate eggs which would be gifted to older people and vulnerable individuals who are at risk of isolation or loneliness during these challenging times.
Local individuals, companies and shops donated in force, and the two companies received a total of over 200 chocolate eggs and bunnies, and 460 crème eggs. Donations came from various organisations across Braintree, Halstead, Earls Colne and Colchester.
The eggs were donated to older people across the area, including residents at St. Mary’s Court, Bradbury House, Larchwood Care Home, Longmead Court Nursing Home, Braintree Nursing Home, and Ogilvie Court, Earls Colne, Blackbrook House in Denham, Crouched Friars Residential Home, Milton Lodge, as well as to Digby House for Homeless and United in Kind Charity.
Owner of Home Instead Braintree, Mike Sheehy commented: “We launched the campaign as we wanted to send a message to the older people who are still self-isolating and let them know that their local community is thinking of them. As a home care company, we have seen the full effects of the pandemic on our older population, for whom lockdown has been very difficult. Thank you to everyone who donated, as we know the gifts really made a difference to a lot of older people this Easter.”
Jade Long, care manager at Home Instead Braintree and Julie Price, owner and care manager at Home Instead Colchester hand delivered the eggs across the area, with the help of their two Easter bunnies, Millie and Emilia.
Jade commented: “Our youngest donor was three-year-old Alfred, who insisted that his mummy helped him to buy chocolate bunnies to donate to the elderly. We had a very busy, but rewarding day hand-delivering the eggs to people, and we got to see the smile it put on their faces.
“More importantly, it gave us the opportunity to remind older people throughout the area that their local community are still thinking about them throughout these difficult times. We got to talk to care assistants and managers, who have been caring for their shielding residents throughout the year, and who commented on how much joy these small gifts would bring to their day.”
