Community comes together to care for "most vulnerable"

Tuesday 24 December 2019

Elderly and vulnerable people, who might be spending Christmas alone this year, will have their day brightened by small gifts which have been donated by the community.

Anyone receiving support from the adult community nurses, mental health team, palliative care workers or the adult disability team over the next week will be given a present, along with all those spending Christmas at St Julian's House.

The initiative was set up five years ago by a company in Guernsey and has continued to grow ever since, with more and more businesses getting involved.

Over the course of the first year, 50 presents were collected and distributed. This year there are more than 800.

"For many people, they receive very little at Christmas and some of our people at home can't get out of the house, so it's a way of bringing Christmas to them," said Community Health Manager, Theresa Prince. "Some people say this is the first time they've had a present in many years.

Pictured: Some of those involved in the initiative.

"It means they can share that experience of unwrapping presents with our staff. it means an awful lot to our staff as well.

"It's absolutely amazing and it is about bringing the community together to care for our older people and the most vulnerable people."

Healthspan took on the challenge of organising the initiative for the first time this year and plans to keep it going for many Christmases to come.

"I've had a really good uptake from people inside and outside of work," said Healthspan's Donna Edwards, who was in charge of making the arrangements. "Work colleagues have forwarded the email on to their partners who have then shared it within their workplaces and it's just been fantastic.

Pictured: More than 800 presents were donated.

"There was a couple that really touched my heart last year. They were very lonely and excluded but [the nurses] went in with two gift bags and they burst into tears. It was the first present they had opened in five years.

"I don't understand, in this day and age, how people can get lost in our community. Ten years ago everyone spoke to their neighbours and spoke to the people across the road, but now people just get lost.

"The community nurses do an amazing job of picking up everyone in the community".