Gift of Christmas Cheer for older residents spending this Christmas alone
4th December 2020
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has launched a ‘Christmas Cheer’ initiative to bring the spirit of Christmas home to older people who will be spending this Christmas alone.
The Council is encouraging family, friends or neighbours of people aged 65 and over who live alone or who are an informal unpaid lone carer to contact its ‘Christmas Cheer’ team so that they may receive a small gift in the run up to Christmas. People falling into this category may also contact the Council’s ‘Christmas Cheer’ team directly to receive a small gift.*
Launching the ‘Christmas Cheer’ initiative, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Diana Armstrong, said:
“The Coronavirus pandemic has made this year a challenging and difficult time for everyone.
This Christmas will be very different, with some family members unable to travel or visit and others choosing not to do so for various reasons, meaning more people may be alone this festive period.
We hope that this Council’s initiative will spread a little ‘Christmas Cheer’ to our older residents who may be isolated this Christmas.
I encourage people who are aged 65 and over and who live alone, or who is a lone carer for a loved one, and even family, friends and neighbours of those falling within this category, to make contact with the Council’s ‘Christmas Cheer’ team so that we can reach out to, and connect with, our more isolated older residents this Christmas to let them know we care.
Parcels will be delivered by Easlilink Community Transport and Fermanagh Community Transport and we are grateful to them for their support in spreading some festive spirit to our older residents this Christmas.”
To bring the spirit of Christmas home to an older person who lives alone or who is an unpaid lone carer, please contact the Council’s ‘Christmas Cheer’ team no later than Wednesday 16 December 2020 by:
- Telephoning 0300 303 1777 (Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm, press option 4)
- Emailing age.friendly@fermanaghomagh.com, or
- Completing the ‘Christmas Cheer’ request form on the Council website
This initiative, which is unique to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, has been supported with funding from the Department for Communities.
*Please be advised that distribution will be on a first come, first served basis with a limited number of gifts available.