Company For Pensioners This Christmas

---

London Ambulance fundraising gives a helping grand

Elderly people in Chiswick and Brentford will not spend Christmas alone thanks to the fundraising efforts of London Ambulance Service staff.

A cheque for £1,000 has been given to Pensioners Alone at Christmas after ambulance workers held raffles and prize draws throughout the year.

The idea to support the charity came after London Ambulance Service Clinical Telephone Advisor Donna Reeves, helped a 94-year-old man last Christmas after he phoned 999 because he was lonely and didn’t know where else to turn. Donna did some research and contacted the charity, which agreed to pick him up and take him for Christmas lunch.

Area Controller Gill Jones joined Donna to present the cheque to charity organiser Pauline Hart at the Goldsmiths Arms in Acton, where the lunch is held.

Gill said: “We are all going to be old one day and it’s very sad to think of elderly people being on their own at Christmas – it’s a time of year when you should be surrounded by others. The money we raised will pay for them to have a lovely meal and hopefully an enjoyable day.”

The funds will help to pay for a group of 50 elderly residents from Brentford and Chiswick to enjoy a Christmas dinner at as well as transport to and from the venue and receive a present each.

Chairperson of Pensioners Alone at Christmas Pauline Hart, who set up the charity 28 years ago, said: “We’re extremely grateful for this donation – it means that lonely elderly people who don’t have any friends or family, have something to look forward to this Christmas.” 

December 18, 2012