Six staff from Hastings Direct have been making weekly calls to our clients to alleviate loneliness and to learn about the daily life of an older person in Harborough
District.
Our clients were keen to interact with young professionals working for a respected company in Leicester.
Feedback from all the calls has been positive e.g. “we talk for an hour about all sorts of things – his jobs, our families, favourite places like Llandudno, making meals, meat cuts etc – the call always makes my day ”The matches have just been amazing – we get on so well, thank you for this opportunity.”
We started the site visit with a quick look around the modern office facilities, then went to a room where we were served with delicious cakes and drinks. People hugged and showed each other photos and mementoes about things they had talked about on the phone. Excited chatter and laughter filled the air. Kieran and Charley from Hastings Direct both thanked clients for the relationships formed and the learning exchanged. Hastings Direct staff presented all clients with a small gift as a token of their appreciation. Clients were touched and thrilled.
Both clients and staff commented on what a magical afternoon we had experienced:
“It was such a pleasure, and I loved seeing you all yesterday; well worth the drive from Liverpool! I got home at 9.40 last night.”
“Lovely pictures, it was so nice to meet Annie properly yesterday and see all the matches interacting
with each other. Thoroughly enjoyed it.”
“What a great day we all had at Hastings Direct …. it was a joyous, emotional, fulfilling afternoon with such lovely people. A time to remember. I am forever grateful for the work VASL do and would like to thank the whole team for their hard work and commitment. Please thank Hastings on my behalf too.”
“What an experience we all had yesterday. To think that this group of people took time out of their busy day to meet us and give us all such a lovely time. There are no words from me that could express my meeting with dear Emma and the gorgeous flowers for my birthday. The connection with the group was just amazing. I have to congratulate Hastings Direct for the way they operate the company, the way they treat their staff and how they appreciate the planet. Unbelievable, times have changed so much since I started work”
We hope that some of these formal befriending matches will evolve into special inter-generational friendships.
If you or someone you know could benefit from support from the Community Champions team — please reach out.
For more information about what the team offer, find it on our Community Champions page.
Contact us: 01858 439262
