Good Morning Larne supports local elderly

Good Morning Larne Volunteers receive their £200 community champion cheque from ASDA. Pictured L-R are: Gregg Wishart Asda Manager, Matt Ritchie Telephone Volunteer, Rita Hawthorn Telephone Volunteer, Barbara Ann Gilchrist Good Morning Larne Co -Ordinator and Catherine McCallion Asda Community Champion. INLT-35-712-con

The voluntary organisation provides a range of services to safeguard the wellbeing of elderly people in the local community.

Good Morning Larne’s representative Lucinda McFall explained: “Our primary service is a telephone call to elderly and vulnerable people to check on their well-being.

“For the most isolated people we could take them for hospital appointments. We can take them shopping or get them a food parcel from the food bank.”

The staff who carry out the home visits and answer telephones are volunteers who have undergone training on how to support vulnerable people.

Lucinda says that Good Morning Larne has helped ‘hundreds’ of elderly people in the seven years it has been functioning, and 80-90 local elderly people are currently using its service.

She continued: “We are primarily targeting those aged over 65, but we could help people with a disability and younger vulnerable people if they get referred by a GP, community worker or social worker.

“We could also work with vulnerable adults with specific needs.”

Lucinda says there is a growing need for the organisation’s services since the introduction of Transforming Your Care.

She sadded: “More statutory agencies are looking for voluntary sector support. We are thirty per cent busier this year.

“Services we provide include advice on warm homes and referral to environmental health, for example if their heating needs upgraded.

“We also work with the Council and other agencies like CAB who do benefit checks.”

Lucinda added that the £200 prize from ASDA will help the Good morning Larne organisation to engage with more elderly people, who value the service.

“They look forward to the phone call in the morning,” she told the Larne Times.

“It’s sometimes the only call they get, and they are glad there is someone to check they are okay.”