Gosport Voluntary Action has merged with Community First. Find out more about them here.
Gosport Voluntary Action has merged with Community First. Find out more about them here.
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14/04/2022
From Left to Right: Dawn Ward (GVA Welfare Manager), Angela Gill (GVA Health & Wellbeing Consultant) and Trudie Longhorn (Morrisons Gosport Community Champion)
Whilst festivities and holidays are a time of celebration and precious family gatherings for many of us, for those who live alone or have minimal social contact, the heightened sense of loneliness can be particularly hard.
Through our Befriending, Advocacy and Supported Volunteering services, and through our non-profit Dustbusters and Mend & Tend offerings, amongst other projects and resources aimed at supporting healthy, happy, independent living, Gosport Voluntary Action aims to support our older and vulnerable residents of Gosport Borough, year-round.
That said, special occasions such as Easter definitely call for that ‘little something extra’, which is where GVA CEO, Kay Hallsworth, came up with the eggscellent idea of tapping into our network of staff, volunteers and community partners to help deliver a selection of Easter eggs and daffodils to those residents most in need of some kindness and companionship. GVA is thrilled to share that thanks to the generosity of our community partner, supermarket Morrisons of Gosport, who very kindly donated 30 Easter eggs and 35 bunches of daffodils, our team was able to personally deliver the gifts and spend some quality time with several of our vulnerable, isolated and cherished residents.
Below are a few words from a selection of the residents we visited, and from our wonderful team of Easter bunnies! Gosport Voluntary Action would like to extend our sincere thanks to Morrisons Gosport for making this ‘Easter mission’ a reality, and for helping us to spread some joy and kindness during these challenging times.
Kay Hallsworth, GVA CEO
“This is such a wonderful donation from Morrisons in Gosport. These flowers and Easter eggs have been given to some of our vulnerable and elderly members who use our services. The difference a little gesture like this can make to someone who may be on their own and lonely is so significant. We don’t realise at times the power of kindness. We are actively recruiting befrienders, and have a waiting list of people who want someone to connect with. If you are interested, please do get in touch with our team here at GVA.”
Trudie Longhorn, Morrisons Gosport Community Champion
“The relationship between Morrisons and the local community is a vital part of us supporting the people of Gosport. In my role as Community Champion, I am proud to be involved with this.”
Dawn Ward, GVA Welfare Manager
“This week our team have been out and about visiting older people, who are socially isolated, with no family (or no family close by) with a gift of daffodils or an Easter egg, kindly donated to Gosport Voluntary Action from Morrisons Gosport for this very reason. I can tell you from my own experiences that there is nothing more humbling than when these older, local residents answer the door: their faces light up when they see us, and then when they invite us into their homes… it’s very moving. For these particular Easter visits, I stayed with each person for a while this week. We chatted, put the world to rights and I listened to some of their stories. There are so many older people completely on their own in Gosport, I may well have been the only person that they have seen or spoken to in days.”
Angela Gill, GVA Health and Wellbeing Consultant
“Some of the clients I’ve spoken to this week have said that they won’t be seeing anyone over Easter, and that the daffodils will really brighten their day. When I phoned many of the recipients last Friday afternoon, one lady said the delivery had ‘made her day’ as she’d been having a really difficult time. Another lady told me she’d be 99 this month! Furthermore, another older couple will be travelling back from their daughter’s funeral in Scotland, so will now have a little something to brighten up their day, as Kay will be leaving an Easter egg and a bunch of daffs with their neighbour. Another gentleman, Ronald (aged 90) took his neighbours’ daffodils in for her and then burst into tears, as his wife died four months ago. I am hopeful that our local Bereavement Group and GVA Befriending service might be able to support him.”
We hope you enjoyed these heart-warming comments from our lovely local residents as much as we did! If you, or somebody you know is struggling with loneliness or social isolation and could do with some support, please do get in touch with our friendly team at Gosport Voluntary Action by calling 02392 583836, or by emailing Emma May, GVA Welfare Coordinator, on emma.may@gva.org.uk. More information about our services for older and vulnerable people in the Borough of Gosport can also be found here:
