Herald - Issue 397

29th October 2020 • The HERALD • Page 43 v THE HERALD - ENCOURAGING LOCAL ENTERPRISE v WE CARE, YOU CARE Stormy Waters HANDS & FEET Age Concern New Forest’s Footcare Clinics are still running at the following venues: Hythe Community Centre, Totton & Eling Community Centre and Blackfield Methodist Church Hall. e service is for those aged 60+ resident in the Age Concern New Forest area. e charity which is based in Dibden Purlieu aims to provide access to a foot care service for anyone who nds it di cult to cut their own nails. Advice on foot care can be provided and other treatment can be arranged with the on 023 8084 1199. If the answerphone is on, then leave your name and number and someone will get back to you. Face Coverings MUST be worn for appointments. Foot Care Specialists. For more information and an appointment, t e l e p h o n e Age Concern New Forest Age Concern New Forest is just one local charity that has had to learn to steer an adapted course through the choppy waters of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is certainly an extremely challenging time,” commented CEO Teresa Blakey . “Our charity supports older vulnerable people in our local communities; our aim is to support them to live independently if that is their wish, and to breach the barriers of isolation and loneliness. Achieving these aims at an unprecedented time of lockdown and social distancing has meant establishing a new balance between offering friendship and support and ensuring peoples safety and protection.” Charities like Age Concern New Forest face a whole range of issues if they are to survive this crisis and continue to contribute e ectively to the welfare of local older people. Like so many other organisations their usual income streams have been greatly adversely a ected. Temporary closure of their charity shops earlier in the year, followed by new strict social distancing requirements are all taking their toll and the charity is becoming more reliant on obtaining grants from other charitable foundations and trusts. “We are battling through” says the CEO “but it is an emotionally difficult time not just for our clients who rely on our services, but also for our staff and wonderful volunteers who are all so dedicated to supporting others. Isolation and loneliness can be an enormous issue for people living alone. It has been heart breaking to have to curtail or reduce some of our services and activities, like our befriending home visits and lunch clubs, particularly at a time when many local older people need us and crave company more than ever. In partnership with our clients, we are learning to adapt though. We are finding safe ways to restart many of our activities and whilst the use of telephones and computers are not a favoured method of communication for many older people, we are at least managing to keep in touch and provide a source of information, advice and support where face to face communication is currently not advisable.” Can you spare a few hours a week to help in Age Concern New Forest’s Charity Shops in Totton, Dibden Purlieu and Black eld? Volunteering is a great way to meet new friends, learn new skills, gain con dence and be part of the local community. Age Concern New Forest is a local independent charity that raises money from their shops to provide local services for local older people. Please call into any of their shops or call them for an application form on 023 8044 1199. Volunteering OPEN 9AM-4PM MONDAY-SATURDAY