Members of Bridgnorth Monday Club took delivery of presents donated through a gift-giving scheme organised by home care provider Home Instead Senior Care in conjunction with the charity Age UK.
The pensioners received their gifts at their drop-in centre, off Innage Lane, ahead of their annual Christmas lunch outing.
“The idea was to work with the local community to bring an extra special smile to members of the older generation who are often the most overlooked section of society at Christmas time, “ said Jenny Ballantine, of Home Instead Senior Care Telford, Newport and Bridgnorth.
“This was the first time we’ve run our ‘Be A Santa To A Senior’ gift-giving scheme in Bridgnorth and we’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of local businesses.”
Companies that donated presents included Tanners Wines, supermarket Tesco, The Trophy Shop, footwear and accessories shop Urban Angel, Simply The Best pharmacy, vintage retailer The Looking Glass, Castle Gates Interiors and Past and Present.
The popular drop-in centre is run every Monday by volunteers from Age UK Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
“A lot of the people who come here don’t go out during the week and many of them don’t see anybody other than the person driving them to the club. They look forward to coming here to see their friends,” said volunteer coordinator Pat Thomas.
Age UK services development officer for the area Jenny Smith said the centre was looking for more volunteers who could spare a few hours every month. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer can contact the volunteer recruitment section at the Shrewsbury office of Age UK on 01743 233123.
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