Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HANG OUT THE BUNTING
We’ve painted rainbows, clapped for carers, and now the nation’s knitters – including many Daily Mirror readers – have yarn-bombed a bus with knitted bunting as a message sage of hope to lonely older citizens.
The rainbow-coloured bus started its tour of friendship in Torquay on Sunday, and will be travelling the country delivering a colourful pick-me-up of magazines and knitting to those still shielding, arriving in Dundee by Saturday.
The People’s Friend, charity Re-engage and Stagecoach have launched the campaign to remind older people that the nation hasn’t forgotten them after knitters sent hundreds of handmade bunting triangles to decorate the bus. People like Coupar Angus care home resident Kathy Macintosh, in Perthshire, have taken part in the Close Knit Friends cam campaign to raise awareness and funds for Re-engage’s befriending ser service, Call Companions.
The service was launched in response to the pandemic to offer free, friendly and regular calls to the most vulnerable, including 88-year-old Trudy, who tragically lost her brother to the virus in June.
Trudy said: “It’s been a horrible time. My brother died from the virus – he was 93 – and I couldn’t go to his funeral.
“My family sent me a photo of all the flowers, but I feel sad that I couldn’t be there.
My daughter calls me every night, and I also get a weekly call from my Re-engage call companion, Tony. It’s been a real blessing having Tony call me when he says he will.
“I also get calls from my Re-engage tea party group who I met after my husband died two years ago. We have a conference call once a month where I can chat with real people.”
Call Re-engage on freephone 0800 716543 for a friendly chat