For years, Rosalind Copeland from Southwick, Sunderland, has been an active member of her community.
An ex-councillor, the 76-year-old is a familiar face in the region, volunteering for a variety of causes and keeping herself busy after her husband passed away 12 years ago.
But when the pandemic struck in March, Rosalind took the decision to shield in her home, cutting herself off from the community she so dearly loves and the regular social interactions she needs.
Thanks to the support of the Foundation of Light’s
Tackling Loneliness Together programme, Rosalind is now getting support to stay mentally and physically healthy at home.
The Foundation gifted Rosalind a tablet so she can access a range of activities including bingo, quizzes, Sit and Be Fit Seated Chair exercises classes and Football Banter talk-ins.
Foundation staff have even gone the extra mile to help by providing Rosalind with activity packs, regular befriending phone calls and garden-gate visits including delivering a cake to her on her birthday.
“It’s companionship.” Rosalind explains. “I haven’t met the people in person but being able to talk to them over Zoom and having something to do and look forward to on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday is very worthwhile. It’s helped me focus on today and then I focus on the next one and the next one. Whereas before I had nothing to look forward to.
“This is something that’s cheered me up. The exercises, doing the quiz etc. I’ve actually never won at bingo in my life, and I’ve won twice. I’m chuffed to bits.
“When I’m doing the exercises, it’s really good because I’ve got arthritis. When it comes to the quiz, I’m useless but I’ve got to wrack me brains and I’ve got to think. On Fridays for the football and listening to Sunderland in the past, it’s absolutely marvellous.”
Rosalind is just one of over 1,000 older people the Foundation has supported through lockdown. Hundreds of care packages have also been distributed to ensure that the most vulnerable in our communities are looked after during these difficult and challenging times.
It costs just £5 to support an older person with befriending calls and an activity pack. With only short-term funding available, we want to continue to support people like Rosalind until at least March 2021, to help them get through the tough winter months.
So help us help them by donating today.
How you can support the Foundation this Christmas:
