Covid19 - Donate

     *** THIS APPEAL IS NOW CLOSED ***

Thank you everyone so much for your kindness and generousity. The Appeal was to raise £15,000 and YOU raised and incredible £18,971. Every penny will be spent to support local older people. Read our NEWS and follow us on FACEBOOK for updates.

Please continue to support us. As we emerge from lockdown and community volunteers (who have played such a huge role) return to work, our services are increasing in demand. Older people are still vulnerable. Please fundraise or donate to our regular donation page on Virgin Money Giving.

THANK YOU

Coronavirus - Covid 19 is having a huge impact upon our charity. We exist to support older people and so it is natural for our communities to turn to us during this pandemic seeking help.

Can you support us to Help Older People’s Experience (Coronavirus-HOPE Campaign) during these challenging times?

We are following government guidelines and wish to support all of our existing service users and respond to the many new enquiries we are receiving.  

How we have responded:

• We have temporarily suspended our Day Services and Friendship Clubs.
• We have changed our delivery in our other service areas, where home visiting is normally routine, to telephone contact (where possible and appropriate).
• We have produced priority lists to ensure the most vulnerable older people will receive our support. These are people who do not have any other support such as from family, friends or neighbours.
• There are a number of scams and frauds emerging: We are raising awareness and trying to warn people to prevent them from becoming victims of fraud, in addition to coping with these extremely challenging times.
• We are giving extra support, training and guidance to our volunteers and mobilising their support to specifically meet the challenges of Covid 19.
• We are arranging remote home- working for staff (to manage social distancing and social isolation)
• We are preparing for more demand and less staff (as a result of illness), as the peak arrives.

All this extra activity comes at a cost to our organisation and whilst we are re-arranging work processes and redeploying staff and volunteers it all has to be managed, alongside our usual work (as adapted).

At the same time of increased demand and re-organisation of resources (increased costs), we are facing reduced income:

• Third parties who rent our premises for their clubs have cancelled.
• Fundraising events planned have been cancelled or postponed.
• Cancelled talks and presentations we give, which receive donations.

Throughout our aim is to maintain continued support to older people, to meet ongoing needs, to reduce isolation and vulnerability so that people remain safely connected with the outside world and preserve wellbeing. Many older people will be feeling extremely anxious and fearful.

As a local independent charity and ‘not for profit’, we have limited reserves. We need to ensure the sustainability of our charity to ensure we are still in operation once this crisis is over. Please help us by making a donation and sharing this page with your contacts.

The funds will be used to:

• Reach out to isolated older people by telephone and home visits (if possible)
• Create food parcels so we can deliver food to people in isolation who may not have the means to pay.
• Enable people to access a nutritious meal by connecting them to services providing groceries, and/or ready-made meals.
• Increased activity in the community to run errands i.e. collect prescriptions.
• Re-imburse volunteers with their travel costs.
• Connecting people to community services who are helping those in isolation, where we are unable to assist.
• Managing our extra costs such as providing remote working facilities and resources, the extra IT support we are needing and extra phone line opening hours.

Please consider making a donation. If you are unable to donate, we would still very much appreciate you sharing this page with your contacts and in social media. Thank you.

Donate:

• Click the link below, pay via Virgin Money Giving, or
• Bank Transfer to AgeukCAP at the Co-operative Bank, Account No: 65793174, Sort Code: 08-92-99 Ref: C19HOPE, or
• Card Payment over the phone (Mon to Fri) call 01733 806245 (finance dept).