Charity’s Covid-19 Response Supported by Randal Grant
A Leicestershire Charitable Foundation has provided a significant grant to help a charity support isolated older people through the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.
The Randal Charitable Foundation, based in Loughborough, made the donation to support Age UK LeicesterShire & Rutland’s work, after the lockdown impacted the charity’s ability to fundraise.
The grant has enabled the charity to provide isolated older people with a seven day-a-week dedicated Covid-19 helpline and emergency care packages of food and toiletries.
A Trustee for the Randal Charitable Foundation, which has an unwavering vision that is to save lives, help the socially disadvantaged and improve the quality of life for those in need in the UK and around the world, said: “Due to the lockdown older people in Leicestershire have been left particularly isolated, especially as many live alone, and are now unable to see people in their usual support networks.
“The Randal Charitable Foundation believes passionately in helping the socially disadvantaged and was delighted to be able to support the work of Age UK LeicesterShire & Rutland, which provides a lifeline to vulnerable older people in the two counties.”
Age UK LeicesterShire & Rutland is committed to helping the
146,000
over 70s in the area to cope with this period of isolation, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable, frail, the oldest and those with physical or mental health issues.
Tessa Trace, a spokesperson for charity, based in Princess Road East, Leicester, said: “The impact of the coronavirus on older people has been immense with many of our beneficiaries and their families frightened and confused as they find themselves isolated, cut off from family and friends and no longer able to participate in activities and services in their community.
“Thanks to the generous funding from the Randal Charitable Foundation we have been able to continue our support and have taken over
1,000
calls and have delivered over
500
emergency care packages as an immediate response to those finding their cupboards and fridges bare.
“We mobilised quickly in March to put a package of support in place to respond to the challenges facing older people as they struggled to get essential food and toiletry provisions, their prescription medication and to maintain their mental wellbeing.
“We saw that, as more older people followed the advice to self-isolate, their needs intensified especially those with long term medical conditions for whom regular contact with the outside world is literally a lifeline but in the current situation could actually be life limiting.”
The charity’s Covid-19 pandemic support also includes: care visits, a telephone befriending service, providing ingredients to local restaurants who prepare ready meals for the charity to distribute, connecting people to support & health providers and mobilising volunteers to help with shopping, collecting prescriptions, pensions or other essential basics.
