The past few months under lockdown have been difficult for everyone, not least for Henfield’s isolated and vulnerable residents and the professional carers who have been looking after them in care homes, sheltered accommodation and in their own homes, often under extremely challenging conditions.
We are starting with some small projects (see below) that everyone can join in with, but if you have additional ideas of how you, your family or your club or society can contribute over the next few weeks and months, please contact Paul Crowe at the Henfield Community Partnership, project coordinators, by emailing henfieldhcp.info@gmail.com. We will be publishing all your ideas and successes in future editions of BN5 and you’ll find details in the Parish Magazine, Henfield Hub and all the local social media sites. The Henfield Helpline, based at the Henfield Haven, will act as the collection point for all donations and deliveries while the Helpline volunteers will be helping to distribute the gifts, letters and plants.
For our Carers
These items will then be beautifully wrapped in cellophane and ribbon with a personal message tag attached and delivered safely to the care homes, carers and those working on the front line, those who deserve a little ‘thank you’ and to know that their hard work is appreciated.
For our vulnerable residents
Write a letter
Children can write a cheerful letter or a card for an elderly resident. These will be forwarded to our local Care Homes, please add a name and address if you would like a reply, some of the residents are great letter-writers and would love to respond!
Here’s some ideas of what children can write:
Write about where you live, what you’ve been doing in lockdown, your family and pets if you have them. Perhaps ask them where they went to school and if they had a best friend, ask them to tell you a story about their school days. Tell them the type of music you listen to, or if you like to dance or play a sport, or if you did something special for VE Day 75. You could tell them about your hobbies, if you like playing computer games or ride your bike. What are you missing, your clubs or groups, your school friends? These are just a few ideas.
Decorate a pot for a windowsill plant
Many thanks to Rushfields for donating plant pots and helping with supplies of bedding plants.
Donations for gifts, completed letters, cards, pictures and decorated plant pots should be taken to the Henfield Haven and they will be distributed safely by Helpline volunteers. We have at least 150 residents living in local care homes and sheltered accommodation, with even more being cared for in their own homes by local care providers. There are around the same number of professional carers working in Henfield, too, wouldn’t it be nice to make sure each one knew just how appreciated they are?
Thank you for showing you care.
