Actor Eleanor takes on heroic new role to keep elderly in touch
AN ACTOR taking an enforced break from the stage is performing a heroic new role - supplying free computers to elderly people.
Eleanor Sutton, 27, from Rainow, is uncertain when the curtain will go up on her next theatre production because of Covid-19.
But the break from performing has led to her setting up social initiative Connectforce with three other volunteers she met when preparing free meals for the NHS. It has delivered tablets to more than 40 care homes in Covid hotspots nationwide and has plans to hand out many more with Macclesfield hopefully soon on the list of destinations.
The equipment is funded by individual donors via a Justgiving campaign then given to care homes identified by local councils along with operating instructions and hygiene wipes.
Eleanor, a former Tytherington School pupil, said: “I met the others while chopping onions and packing pasta to send to local hospitals and wondered what we could do to help other areas of society affected by the pandemic.
“We came up with the idea of helping isolated elderly people reconnect with their families and it’s snowballed into something quite amazing.
“So far we’ve supplied care homes in London and the north west where the care home sector has been badly hit by Covid19. There’s been an astonishing need and an incredible uptake.”
Volunteers help with deliveries - parents Mike and Claire even took packages to 26 care homes in Greater Manchester.
Eleanor believes that allowing people in care homes to stay in touch with loved ones provides a boost to both mental and physical health.
And she says feedback from staff at the homes suggests the tablets have provided a timely lift in mood for recipients.
Eleanor said: “We offer tech and pastoral support if required and walk residents through it every step of the way on how to use applications such as Zoom, Skype and You Tube.We don’t want packages sent out by courier so it has to be a personal touch. It started as a crisis response but we believe it contains a vision of something greater in that isolation of our elderly population isn’t a new problem and won’t go away when the pandemic has passed.
“Video calling technology obviously isn’t a complete replacement for face-to-face communication but it’s the next best thing and keeps the elderly feeling part of their community, society and connected to their loved ones.”
To donate visit https:// www. justgiving. com/ crowdfunding/ connectforce.