News

Our Independent Living Team has been helping to make the festive season special for some of our Independent Living residents.  

Kathy Morgan, Independent Living Health & Wellbeing Officer, gives a round-up of some of the activities and events that have happened this festive season:

• During November, 22 residents were treated to the sights in London with visits to the Christmas lights on Oxford Street and Regent Street while taking in Harrods and Selfridges.
  The evening started with tea, sandwiches and a chat with fellow passengers, and while onboard they were offered wine, drinks and mince pies by their driver Derrick Douglas. The four trips took a few hours to complete but Derrick picked up and dropped off all of our residents safely at home afterward. 
• Throughout the week of 6 December, residents enjoyed festive coffee mornings and afternoons, with visits from local school children who entertained with song and dance, helped out with the raffle draws and shared some refreshments. 
• Church Hill residents had a special visit from Victoria Hodges, coach for the choir 'Sing Out Sutton' who sang some well-known carols, beautifully and charmed the residents who attended.
• Theresa Miller, Community Champion from Morrisons supermarket in Sutton, organised nine hampers containing mince pies, drinks, sandwiches and goodies to use as prizes. Teresa is also responsible for putting together donations to the St Helier Community Food Shop. To her and Morrisons, we say a big Thank you!
• St Theresa's School in Carshalton gave us 140 homemade 'crackers of kindness' which were each stuffed with festive socks, gloves or bobble hats, a handful of chocolates and a specially drawn picture or blessing for the lucky person. The residents were overjoyed to receive the gifts and it was lovely to watch them open the crackers. One of our residents was so happy, she decided to take her own gift to the school for the children!
• The students from Greenshaw High School gave us 200 handmade Christmas cards which we were able to distribute to residents in our schemes. Although some schools couldn't attend this year they expressed an interest in working together in the future to link the generations together. 
• At Thomas Wall, one of our residents Joe, treated everyone to an afternoon of music with his great selection of tunes. The turnout was great and everyone had a wonderful time. 

Special thanks go out to our team of Independent Living Officers and the Sutton Connect Team for their support throughout the events, coming in early and staying late to make these activities memorable.