Bottles idea can help the region’s most vulnerable

SEVERN Trent has joined forces with Leicestershire Police in a scheme to help look after its most vulnerable customers.

The Message in a Bottle scheme, created by The Lions Clubs, aims to get a bottle with life-saving medical and personal information into the home of every vulnerable person in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Severn Trent is distributing more than 6,000 Priority Service Registers (PSR) leaflets with the bottles, to encourage those customers who need water 24/7, or who require alternative bills or password protection schemes, to let the company know.

Mark Grice, from Severn Trent, said: “This is a fantastic initiative that the Lions have created, and we’re really proud to be working alongside Leicestershire Police on pushing this scheme out as it’s something we believe will really benefit our customers, especially during those rare times that we have an issue.

“By putting the leaflets in the bottles, we’re encouraging our customers to sign up to the register, so any special requirements they have, we’re aware of and can help.”

The Message in a Bottle scheme encourages the elderly and vulnerable to fill a bottle with personal and medical information and store it in the fridge.

This information can then be used quickly by the emergency services should they ever need to attend the home. People can pick up a bottle free of charge from any police station.

Severn Trent’s Priority Service Register is used to support customers with special requirements to give them a better, more personalised service.

Mark said: “It’s really important that our customers let us know if they have any needs above and beyond the usual.

“We’re here to help and we hope that by using the Message in a Bottle scheme to deliver our information about the register, then those who need us the most will let us know who they are and exactly what they need.”

The commander of the South Leicester Neighbourhood Policing Area, Inspector Mike Cawley, said: “We are always keen to work with other organisations on joint projects and I am pleased to be working with Severn Trent – after all, we are working towards the same thing and that’s keeping vulnerable people safe.”

Richard Darlaston, President of the Oadby and Wigston Lions Club said: “The Message in a Bottle scheme helps to provide essential information about a family member, loved one or neighbour who suffers with dementia or Alzheimer’s and that will save vital time in the event they go missing from their home.

“It is great that the scheme can also be used by other organisations, such as Severn Trent, to protect people in other ways as well.”