OLDER people can feel cut off from their friends and family but for two decades a Worcester charity has been helping people realise there is more to life than the view from their living room window.

Some older people may have been widowed and live alone, their children and grandchildren living far away or perhaps they are disabled or have other mobility problems which can make it more difficult to lead an active social life.

But Live at Home, a charity that supports older people in West Worcester which was launched in 1992, has been a lifeline for more than 500 older people in West Worcester, most of whom would otherwise be isolated.

Leaders from the charity, which comes under the umbrella of Methodist Homes (MHA), say it is one of the best examples of the Big Society long before the Big Society became a Government initiative.

With the objective of supporting the elderly lead independent lives, Live at Home West Worcester organises regular lunches, supermarket shopping trips, keep fit chair-based exercises, outings to the theatre or pub lunches and other days out.

With just three staff, and 50 volunteers, Live at Home works closely with churches and the local community.

Anna Byers, manager of Live at Home West Worcester, said.“The support by the local community and the churches is the reason our members can enjoy the activities that we organise for them.”

Anna and her team organise volunteer cooks for Monday lunches, drivers to transport members to and from clubs, and for those who cannot attend clubs due to ill health, house visits are made by volunteers from the befriending team.

“Often members join us when they lose their spouse and with children living in different parts of the country life can be lonely if their world only extends to looking out of their living room window.

The opportunity to go out, meet friends, reminisce and be served a hot meal is something members look forward to.

“In a survey done by MHA, 87 per cent of their members cited company and friendships being the benefits they most identified with.”

The charity has a turnover of more than £40,000, receives a grant from the parent charity MHA and there is regular support from the parishes of the six west side churches.

There are a number of fundraising activities, including regular monthly coffee mornings at St John’s Library, quizzes, grants from Government and other charitable organisations such as the Eveson Trust, and together with the small contribution members make towards the activities, it has meant that Live at Home has been able to raise the potential deficit of about £12,000 needed each year.

The charity recently celebrated its 20th year with a lunch party attended by more than 80 guests including members, volunteers past and present and all friends of Live at Home, some of the clergy from the six West Worcester churches and their guest of honour, the Mayor of Worcester, Coun Dr David Tibbutt and his wife Jane.

The Mayor said: “It is important for the elderly, especially those living independently, to remain active and mobile for as long as possible. Enjoying time with friends is important not just for their physical but also their mental well-being.”

Sheila Powell, who has been a volunteer with Live at Home for 16 years, said: “It’s a social club for older people where they are among peers, having a great time, laughing off their ailments and feeling young again.”

CASE STUDY: DORIS WHITE

A WIDOW who is soon to turn 100 said the charity provided her with friendship.

Doris White is one of the first members of Live at Home West Worcester and it helped her find friendship after her husband died.

She was married in 1936, moving to Worcester with husband Randolph White from County Durham in 1938 when he secured a job at a Worcester engineering firm. Doris brought up her two children, a boy and a girl. Once her son started primary school, Doris decided she needed to keep herself active, securing a job as secretary to the headmaster of Pitmaston and St John’s schools, a job she did for 17 years.

She also accompanied her husband on official events when he was a city councillor from 1945 to 1974 and appointed to Alderman from 1957-1974.

When he died in 1986, her daughter Carole Langford remembers how worried the family were about how she would cope on her own. Their fears were unfounded as Doris went on to join a club for every day of the week and took to driving her friends around for lunches, afternoon teas and numerous days out. This went on well into her 80s, and stopped only when Doris gave up driving at 85.

Her association with Live at Home began in the early 90s where she was a very active member of the club, joining in as many of the club’s activities as she could fit in.

Now, a few weeks short of her 100th birthday, Doris is taking things a little slower, bringing her weekly activities down to three; one of which is Live at Home’s Monday lunch club.

When asked what she enjoys most about her lunch club, Doris said: “I enjoy the company of friends more than anything”.

With two children, six grandchildren, and 11 great–grandchildren, Doris says the key to healthy life is to “keep the brain active”.

CASE STUDY: MAY HUNT

A FORMER carer said she could not do without the service provided by Live at Home.

May Hunt, aged 87, joined the Live at Home club five years ago after being persuaded by friends of hers. Originally from Cardiff and arriving in Worcester in the 1960s, May and her husband lived with her in-laws, caring for them fulltime until they died.

A friend of hers then suggested to her a job as a dinner lady at Pitmaston School. Unsure if she would like it, May went along and decided to give it a go.

She remained in the job for 10 years. Since her husband Fred passed away in 1987, May, who lives alone, took to meeting with friends and is an active member of the Methodist Church in Bromyard Road.

When Live at Home’s Monday lunch club moved to the Methodist Church, three years ago, it fitted in with her fellowship meeting on Mondays, which meant she could join in the lunch club and stay on for the fellowship. Her association with the club however, began a few years before that, with the Wednesday fortnightly supermarket shopping service where she is picked up and taken to Sainsbury’s for her shopping.

“It is a service I cannot do without. For £4 towards the transport, I am able to shop for myself, and have help with my shopping bags when they drop me off,” said May.

“Monday lunches at Live at Home are great. The staff and volunteers work so hard, preparing the meals and nothing is ever too much trouble. To top it off, I am in the company of friends which makes it all the more enjoyable.”