Christmas Cards Swapped for Helping Lonely Elderly

A CHRISTMAS tradition has been swapped for helping Northumberland’s lonely elderly by Blyth care home staff.

Staff at The Oaks Care Home chose to forgo the annual exchange of Christmas cards and instead donated £2 to a shopping fund.

The home raised £70, with a further £40 added by Chris Agar, brother of senior carer Joanne Young.

Ann Mielnik, home manager at The Oaks Care Home, on Durban Street, and housekeeper Lesley Russell used the £110 total to buy supplies for the region’s elderly who will be spending Christmas alone.

They filled 14 bags with porridge, soup, pies, potatoes, peas, carrots, fruit, rice pudding, biscuits, tea bags, sugar, marmalade and shower gel.

The bags were collected by care managers based at Northumberland County Council’s Eddie Ferguson House – who will distribute them to those in need ahead of Christmas day.

Ann said: “I am so proud of each and every one of my staff for doing this in what are hard times for everyone.”