Special Christmas delivery

Staff from the Springhill Resource Centre and Tudor Court are teaming up with the STARS team to deliver a festive dinner

An extra helping of goodwill will be served this Christmas with plans to cook and deliver dinner to vulnerable and isolated older people who will be spending the festive season alone, and are unable to prepare a meal themselves.

Staff at the Springhill Resource Centre and Tudor Court, who help people who have just left hospital regain their independence before going home, will be going the extra mile this year to spread Christmas cheer.

Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Adult Care at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Some older people are not able to cook a meal themselves and don’t have family or friends in the area they can celebrate with, but we don’t want them to miss out on what is a really nice time of year for many people. We hope that our residents will benefit from a wonderful meal and a friendly face on Christmas Day.”

The dedicated staff, who also help prevent hospital admissions by providing rehabilitation in a residential setting, will be turning chef to rustle up a roast dinner for people in the community who won’t see anybody on Christmas day.

The STARS team, who provide a similar service to the staff at Tudor Court and Springhill, but deliver it in people’s homes, will then take the meals to individual houses at lunchtime, and leave a sandwich for tea.

The Royal Voluntary Service has estimated that almost half a million older people in the UK are at risk of spending Christmas Day alone this year, so initiatives like this have never been more important.

Anyone who is aware of an isolated older person who would benefit form a Christmas treat is asked to contact 0300 303 8886.