Plea to check on neighbours after Chesterfield foodbank volunteers find OAP who 'had not eaten for four days'

Volunteers at a community foodbank have urged Chesterfield people to check on their neighbours after finding an elderly woman who had not eaten for four days.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The 84-year-old pensioner was discovered by ‘pure accident’ when Kelly Hall, of the Chesterfield Community Food Hut, delivered a food parcel to her neighbour.

The elderly resident told Kelly she had recently lost her husband and her claim for a single person’s pension had hit a delay.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Kelly said: “I told her this should not be happening and she must have been lost in the system in some way.

Chesterfield community hub volunteers have now delievered 6,000 food parcels. Pictured is Shell Whitley.Chesterfield community hub volunteers have now delievered 6,000 food parcels. Pictured is Shell Whitley.
Chesterfield community hub volunteers have now delievered 6,000 food parcels. Pictured is Shell Whitley.

"It was a pure accident that I started talking to her because she was in her garden when I delivered a parcel to her neighbour.

"This is why it is so important to check on your neighbours as it is easy for people to be missed and fall through cracks in the system.”

Kelly says that when the woman told her story she ‘burst into tears’ and could then ‘not stop crying’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We filled her cupboards with non-perishable items and also toiletries,” Kelly said.

"She was so grateful and it was nice to see her smiling when we left.

"It always feels amazing to help someone in a situation like that. It is the best feeling in the world to help another human being.”

The food hut has been operating in Chesterfield since the coronavirus lockdown began in March and has now delivered 6,000 food parcels to people in need across the town.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Without any Government grants or support, the group of mums and dads have set up a hub in the community, now at Monkwood Road Community Rooms in Dunston, to identify people in need and support them.

Vulnerable and isolated people, as well as cancer patients, are referred to the hut from mental health teams, social services and elsewhere.

Kelly says the team currently need help printing leaflets to ensure other elderly people are not being missed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Email [email protected] or find them on Facebook if you can help.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor

Related topics: