Santa-gram campaign brings Christmas cheer to Calderdale

Home Instead Senior Care Calderdale’s first ever Santa-gram campaign has been a great success, spreading Christmas cheer to seniors across the borough.
Margaret Rooker with her framed picture from the Santa-gram campaign.Margaret Rooker with her framed picture from the Santa-gram campaign.
Margaret Rooker with her framed picture from the Santa-gram campaign.

Launched in November, Home Instead’s Santa-gram campaign reached out to primary schools across Calderdale to ask school children to create a special Christmas card or letter for an elderly person this Christmas.

Most of our elderly population have experienced isolation and loneliness this year due to COVID-19, with many continuing to isolate over the Christmas period.

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The home care company, which provides companionship, housekeeping and personal care to people in their own homes was overwhelmed by the result. They had nine local schools sign up to the campaign, receiving 696 Christmas cards which were all decorated, or hand drawn by children from ages four to 11.

They also received a further 427 items including bookmarks, letters, pictures, decorations and riddles, to be distributed to seniors along with their cards.

Morrison’s supermarket in Elland, Halifax also got involved, with customers donating presents to the campaign.

The Santa-grams were packed into envelopes and delivered along with the presents to retirement homes, care homes, pharmacies, churches and community groups including Memory Lane Dementia Café and Calder Community Cares. The company also teamed up with Age UK Calderdale and Kirklees who helped to distribute the Santa-grams to their network.

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Home Instead added one of their festive activity guides with every Santa-gram to give older people/recipients some puzzles, quizzes and other challenges over the Christmas period.

Alec Clark of Sowerby Bridge received a Santa-gram along with his home-delivered pharmacy prescription, and phoned Home instead just three hours after it was delivered to comment: “What a fantastic idea! I love the personalised Christmas card from a local school, it felt like it was sent by someone who knows me. Very personal!”

56 Santa-grams were distributed to residents at Copley Mill House and Threadneedle Court retirement living schemes, managed by social housing provider Stonewater.

Emma Tobin, Head of Retirement Living at Stonewater, added: “Home Instead’s Santa-grams initiative has been a great way to spread some festive cheer among the local community.

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“Some people do not have the luxury of lots of family and friends around them, but lockdown restrictions have further heightened feelings of loneliness, isolation and separation for many people. So, having these Santa-grams to hand out to our residents has been a lovely gesture – thank you to all the children for creating the cards and getting involved.”

Margaret Rooker receives live-in care services from Home Instead, from caregiver Cathryn Frankland. Cathryn presented Margaret with her Santa-gram, along with a framed picture created by one of the children that took part in the campaign. She was absolutely delighted to receive the Santa-gram, which brought a smile to her face, alongside making her feel appreciated and remembered!

To find out more about Home Instead Calderdale and the home care services they provide, including live-in care, please call 01422 476878 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/calderdale.