A weekly support group that supports retired Gurkhas and their wives has been awarded the first ever Bluebird Care Greenwich Community Grant.

Greenwich-based Bluebird Care opened its doors 4 years ago, and ever since has been working hard to support other organisations across the borough, as well as providing a daily care service to local people.

Anoop Sekhon, Managing Director, said: “As well as providing care & companionship services to people living in their own homes, Bluebird Care is passionate about supporting community projects and initiatives.

So many neighbourhoods thrive because of volunteers who work tirelessly to run community groups, host events and provide services that benefit others. Much of this work involves supporting older people who, without regular coffee mornings, day-trips or lunch clubs, would be left isolated at home.”

The award-winning Men in Sheds project, run by Age UK Bromley & Greenwich, delivers meaningful activities for older men that help address social isolation, promote social inclusion and offer information and advice. The project has outcomes that include working with Gurkha veterans and their wives and widows living in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Pauline Cahill, Activity Coordinator at Age UK Bromley and Greenwich said: “The Nepalese veterans and their beneficiaries meet weekly at the Men in Sheds ‘Okey Cokey Club’ based at the YMCA Woolwich Dockyard. The Club provides a social and educational space where we deliver and facilitate English and computer classes, alongside pool, cooking, arts & crafts, music, dancing and social events.

Activities assist with developing the participants spoken and written English in an informal, relaxed, fun and supportive environment. The Okey Cokey Club has been a resounding success; last year we worked with 197 veterans and beneficiaries and worked hard to help the Nepalese to integrate within the wider community through regular interaction with English speaking staff, volunteers, partnership working, events and open days.

Club participants, who mainly live in Plumstead, where there is a large Nepalese community, tend to shop in local Nepali-speaking outlets that cater exclusively for their community. Following consultation with the group, they have expressed an interest to shop in English-speaking supermarket chains within the borough and to learn different cooking methods. However, due to their lack of confidence and language barriers, the group feel unable to shop outside of their comfort zone without support.

Thanks to the generous support of Bluebird Care our project coordinator will accompany members on shopping trips to provide support and guidance when making choices. Purchases bought from the grant will be used to prepare healthy, tasty food using new foodstuffs, menus and cooking methods.”

Pam Tapfumaneyi, Bluebird Care Coordinator, added: “We hope our grant of £250 will support Age UK with the fantastic work they are doing.

This was just the type of initiative we were hoping to fund this year – something that makes a difference to the lives of others, and ensures that older people have opportunities to socialise, leave their homes, and feel less isolated.”

Bluebird Care is a provider of care in the home. They specialise in working with customers who suffer from dementia, physical and learning disabilities, and work alongside their families, social services and clinical commissioning groups to ensure each person receives the care they need.

Bluebird Care offers a unique service of tailored care visits which range from anything from short care visits to full live-in support. As well as personal care they also help with meal preparation, welfare checks, shopping, social trips, visits to the hospital and provide extra support for post-discharge customers.

For more details contact Bluebird Care by calling 0208 851 5551, emailing Greenwich@bluebirdcare.co.uk, viewing their website at www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/Greenwich or visiting their office at 10, The Mound William Barefoot Drive (SE9 3AZ)

Submitted by Nathan Hartley