'Canny Little Christmas' elderly gift appeal overwhelmed by support of Ashington and Bedlington communities

The donated parcels containing gifts and cards have been delivered to isolated, elderly people in time for Christmas.

The appeal, known as Canny Little Christmas, was organised by Wansbeck Community Links, a team of community link workers at GP surgeries in the Wansbeck Primary Care Network.

Team leader Jane McGee said: “We thought it would be lovely to be able to offer these isolated elderly patients a gift, hopefully to help them smile, so that is what we have done.

“We did a callout to the surgeries, but also the local community, for help to get the boxes together.

“We were absolutely blown away with the generosity of the community. Lots and lots of people coming forward either with a filled box or items to put in one.”

Jane, who is 55 and lives in Ellington, said that they were “really surprised and quite humbled” to receive more than enough boxes, allowing for extras to be donated to care homes, distributed at St Aidan’s Church’s free Christmas lunch, or passed on to social groups and food banks.

She thanked the numerous community groups, businesses, and other organisations that contributed.

She said: “It was an idea I had last year and I thought it was not going to take off, especially with the cost of living crisis, but I have been absolutely blown away by the generosity.

“We are based mainly in Ashington, which is quite a deprived area, but the community spirit has been absolutely overwhelming. It really has.

“It just goes to show that it is still there in bucket loads, it just someone needs to just come along with the idea.

“Hopefully this will grow and we will continue to do this on a yearly basis.”

Staff and patients at Bedlingtonshire, Guidepost, Seaton Park, and The Gables medical groups could nominate someone to receive a gift through special postboxes at the surgeries.

A social event was held in partnership with Age UK to distribute the boxes.

Jane, who collaborated with fellow community link workers Linda Child, Christine Eastlake, and Carly Johnstone on the appeal, said: “Quite a number of them actually sparked up friendships within the couple of hours that they were there.

“Others were quite interested in some of the groups that we kind of run and lead on as well, so it was a huge success.”

Boxes have also been delivered to people who are unable to leave the house.

Jane added: “I do think that the older generation are often pushed aside and Christmas can be a really difficult time for them.

“I have just spoken to two ladies who lost their husbands this year so it is their first Christmas without their partner.

“One lady was married for 62 years so it is quite difficult for her this Christmas.

“She said she does not care what is in the box, it is just that someone has actually thought of giving her something that is going to make her smile, and she was really emotional.”

Link workers at Wansbeck Community Links are employed by counselling and wellbeing charity Cygnus Support and provide non-medical support to patients at their designated GP surgeries, connecting them with other services in the community.