Apr 3, 20237 min read

Evergreen Care UK Newsletter

EVERGREEN LEAVES: Spring 2023

Welcome to our Spring Newsletter.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you invited me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed me,

I was sick and you looked after me,

I was in prison and you came to visit me”

Matthew 25 v 35-36

A warm welcome to...

Hi, my name is Julia and I started my role as

Friendship Coordinator with Evergreen in

January, covering the Dartford area. I am

thoroughly enjoying this varied role and have

been made very welcome by all the lovely

staff in the Wilmington Office!

I have always had a passion for the care of

the elderly, working for several years in a

local, residential care home and latterly as a

carer in the community. I loved supporting my

elderly clients, grew very fond of them and loved hearing them reminisce about their past.

I began volunteering with Evergreen in April 2020, initially as a telephone befriender during lockdown and then face to face, once we were allowed to. I then went on to volunteer at the

Elderberries café in Belvedere once it reopened and absolutely love this too. I am continuing to volunteer on my day off, as it is something that I find both enriching and rewarding. It is so important that as we grow old, we feel supported in our local community and that is why I feel that befriending is so important. Having personally seen the enjoyment that our clients get from visiting our cafés and the close bonds that they build with their befrienders, it just reinforces the importance of Evergreen’s services.

I am looking forward to watching this amazing service grow in the Dartford area!

NEW Friends Together location

When: Starting Thursday 4th May and monthly thereafter (further dates to follow)

From: 11am to 1pm

Venue: Wilmington Community Church, Broad Lane, Wilmington DA2 7AQ

Host: Julia Rees, Dartford Friendship Coordinator

Everyone is welcome!

Friends Together Dates

Evergreen Friends Together	(11.30am-1.30pm) Wednesday 12th April Tuesday 9th May Wednesday 14th June	The Yacht Bexleyheath, DA7 5AE
Evergreen Friends Together	Every 4th Wednesday: (11am to 1pm) 26th April 24th May 28th June	Blackfen Library Blackfen Road, Sidcup, DA15 9LU
Evergreen Friends Together	Every 1st Thursday: (11am-1pm) 4th May 8th June	Wilmington Community Church Broad Lane, Wilmington, DA2 7AQ

Elderberries Vintage Tearooms

(Weekly café - excluding bank holidays)

Elderberries - Belvedere	Monday 10am-2pm	Belvedere Baptist Church Nuxley Road, Belvedere, DA17 5JG
Elderberries - Wilmington	Monday 12pm-3pm	Wilmington Community Church Broad Lane, Wilmington, DA2 7AQ
Elderberries - Crayford	Tuesday 10.30am-1.30pm	Wolsley House Wolsley Close, Crayford, DA1 4BE
Elderberries - Bexley	Friday 2pm-4pm	Baldwyns Park Baptist Church Dartford Road, Bexley, DA5 2AT
Elderberries - Bexleyheath	Saturday 10am-12.30pm	Christ Church Broadway, Bexleyheath, DA6 7BT

Volunteer Spotlight

Our Volunteer spotlight this month is...

Christine Priaulx

One of our lovely volunteers, who helps out in the Evergreen office.

My first introduction to Evergreen was at Geddes Place in January 2020. I had been thinking about volunteering for some time so when I saw a Volunteering Fair was being held, I went along to see what it was all about. Several charities were setting out their stalls, but I was immediately drawn to Evergreen as I was well aware of the difficulties people face in later life. I initially joined to help with fund raising events, but I had just taken part in my first event and was looking forward to the next when Covid hit and we all went into lockdown. That was the end of the events and my career as an events assistant.

It was during the first madness of Covid that I was asked if I would like to become a telephone befriender. This was good for me as those over a certain age were being told to stay at home and I really enjoyed the chats I had with the lovely gentleman I was matched with. He said he looked forward to my calls, so it was a happy arrangement for both of us. Once we were given the all clear I was able to help out in the office one day a week but I continued to call my elderly gentleman.

As life slowly began to return to normality, I was asked if I would like to join the Befriending Team, with the lovely Wendy and Caroline. How could I refuse! The following year Evergreen Care Bexley became Evergreen Care UK and we all moved to Wilmington. My current role is to call everyone on the waiting list for a face-to-face befriender, to have a chat and let them know we have not forgotten them. I find this both interesting and rewarding. The elderly people I speak to have led long, fulfilling lives and have a wealth of knowledge. I have had so many interesting conversations and have learned so much. I am really pleased when a suitable befriender is found for someone on my list, but I am also sad as I will no longer be calling them.

I love being part of Evergreen. It is a wonderful charity, and the people are passionate about what they do. I have now been volunteering for three years and hope to continue for many more. Who knows, one day I may need the services of Evergreen myself and I know I will be in safe hands.

Thank you Chris, we are so blessed to have you as a volunteer in the office.

Bringing the Library to you

Are you, or is someone you know housebound, disabled, a carer or unable to get out to the library and carry books?

If you live in Bexley, the Home Library service offers a free home delivery if you can’t get to a library. Read or listen to books - the choice is yours.

To find out more:

Contact the Home Library Service on 020 3045 4565

Email: LibraryCommunityServices@bexley.gov,uk

or ask at your local library

They can deliver books, large print books and audio books on CD and MP3

This is a free service and you will be visited every month by volunteers who will collect the books or talking books that you’ve finished with and bring you a new selection.

Special Thanks

On Saturday 25th February a lovely team of Evergreen staff and volunteers all spent an hour or so each at Sainsburys in Bexleyheath, raising funds for Evergreen. They not only raised the fantastic sum of £274.61 but also raised awareness about Evergreen.

A big thank you to Sainsburys, our Home Support Worker Owain who organised the event and all the staff and volunteers who helped on the day.

Want to fundraise for Evergreen?

Idea to do by Yourself:

 Get your running trainers on and take part in a local 5K, 10K, half or full marathon!
 Create a Birthday or special occasion fundraising page on giveasyoulive.com and invite your friends to donate to Evergreen Care UK instead of buying you a present.
 Be really brave and sign up for a sponsored bungee jump or sky-dive.

Idea to do with Others:

 Host a ticketed talent show, quiz night or disco with your church , community or social group.
 Host a coffee morning, afternoon tea or wine and cheese evening with family and friends and ask for donations.
 Get together with friends and do a sponsored walk, cycle ride, swim.

If you are interested in fundraising for Evergreen, please get in touch. We can provide you with sponsorship forms and help to promote your event or activity.

News from Suffolk

Age is a funny thing. One minute you’re 21 years old and life is in front of you, and the next your youth is all behind you. This April will be my 60th birthday, yes 60. Hard to believe isn’t it? I’m nearly old enough to get a free bus pass (although there aren’t many buses where I live in Suffolk) and I’ll be old enough to receive services from Evergreen. But as they say, your age is only a number.

Evergreen is fast approaching an important number, its 10th year of providing services to our community, a wonderful milestone. As we look forward to the next 10 years, there are many challenges which we will have to face; the crisis in Social Care and the NHS, the cost of living crisis, the recruitment problems in Social Care, the expansion of the Ulez zone, the list seems to go on. But what drives us on are the people who we serve, those who have hit their own milestones of age, 70, 80, 90 years and older, and their family members who rely on us to be there for their loved ones through the ups and downs of life.

Where will Evergreen be when we hit those milestones of 20, 30, 40 years? How many older people will we be serving then. Could Evergreen have influenced how care is delivered to the most vulnerable in our society? Will Evergreen be in Suffolk so I can receive excellent care when I need it. I do hope so. We can all dream about the future and what it could look like, but let’s start now to make these dreams a reality.

A challenge we always face here at Evergreen is the finance to do the things we want to do. We have not always had the finances to support our plans, but have always gone in faith, trusting in our Lord, and trusting in the goodness of our community to bring in the necessary funds. If you would like to support us and see our dreams for the future come true, why not become a Friend of Evergreen or a Business Partner and make a monthly donation to our work. By supporting us, you will be a part of something amazing, helping us change the lives of our older community for the better, supporting not just 600 older people, but maybe 6000, or even 60,000. Now that’s a number, and not just a number.

If you would like to support Evergreen, please give our office a call on 01322 431765 or visit our website www.evergreencareuk.org

Thank you. Pete & Diane.

P.S. If you’re wondering when Pete’s birthday is, it’s on 14th April but don’t let him know we told you - Editor

Happy Easter

In just over a couple of weeks, Christians around the world will be celebrating Easter.

This is, for many, the most important event of the calendar - it is the time when we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you don’t know the Easter story, may we encourage you to find out more - ask a Christian friend, read one or all of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John), or go along to a church service on Easter Sunday.

“The angel said to the woman, ’Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay’".

We hope that you all have a blessed and joyous Easter.

Call now: 01322 431765