CareYourWay combats loneliness at Christmas

CareYourWay combats loneliness at Christmas in South Devon and beyond through Present for a Pensioner initiative

CareYourWay, which began in the South West, is proud to announce another successful year for their Present for a Pensioner initiative. This is designed to bring Christmas joy to lonely and isolated individuals at this time of year.

Running every Christmas since 2016, Present for a Pensioner is an anti-isolation campaign which gives back to our incredible communities by delivering special Christmas hampers to people who will be spending Christmas alone. Loneliness has been identified as one of the most significant contributors to poor health, with research showing it can be as harmful to individuals as smoking. The effects of isolation are far-reaching, particularly during the Christmas period, which can exacerbate feelings of abandonment and despair.

This year, CareYourWay’s Present for a Pensioner will see over 130 individuals across the UK, including 35 in the South Devon area, receive specially crafted Christmas hampers packed with luxury gifts. This ensures they feel remembered and cherished during the festive season.

Since the initiative’s inception, over 320 lives have been positively impacted by the generosity of individuals and businesses in the local community, primarily in South Devon.

Jonathan Sabater, Chief Operations Officer & Founder, CareYourWay, said: “It is truly remarkable to witness the profound impact such a small gesture can have. We would like to take this moment to thank our incredible community in Devon for their unwavering support in helping us pioneer this meaningful programme. Thanks to their generosity, Present for a Pensioner is now changing hundreds of lives each and every year.”

• Key statistics
• In 2022, 49.63% of adults in the UK reported feeling lonely – almost 26 million people*
• 7.1% of people in Great Britain experience chronic loneliness – approximately 3.8 million people*
• This has risen from 6% in 2020, indicating increased feelings of loneliness since the pandemic*
• Loneliness can increase the risk of early mortality by 26%*
• Research estimates that 60% of people experiencing chronic loneliness experience mental distress, including increased risk of depression*
• Over 130 isolated individuals across the UK will receive a Present for a Pensioner hamper in 2024 – including 35 in South Devon
• Since the initiative launched in 2016, we have gifted special Christmas hampers to over 320 isolated individuals
  *Statistics from the Campaign to End Loneliness

How Present for a Pensioner works

Each year, CareYourWay approaches the local community – including businesses, supermarkets, and individuals wishing to donate – to fundraise for the Present for a Pensioner initiative. The full 100% of funds raised go directly toward creating luxury Christmas hampers worth £35 each. Once the hampers are assembled, CareYourWay partners with local healthcare professionals, including nurses and occupational therapists, who nominate individuals who will be isolated during the Christmas season to receive one of the hampers. Packed full with special gifts, the hampers help ensure each recipient experiences some much-needed Christmas joy at this special time of year.

Quotes about Present for a Pensioner

Jonathan Sabater, Chief Operations Officer & Founder, CareYourWay:
“Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year, for so many heartfelt reasons. In 2016, we recognised that loneliness was affecting people far more deeply than we had initially understood. In response, we launched Present for a Pensioner, a scheme designed to transform people’s Christmases through simple acts of kindness. Now, some eight years later, we are extraordinarily proud to have expanded this initiative across the country, after years of running it at the heart of CareYourWay in South Devon.

“It is truly remarkable to witness the profound impact such a small gesture can have. We would like to take this moment to thank our incredible community in Devon for their unwavering support in helping us pioneer this meaningful programme. Thanks to their generosity, Present for a Pensioner is now changing hundreds of lives each and every year.”

Deborah Ivanova, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the South, Care Quality Commission:
“The Christmas season can be a time of loneliness for vulnerable people. Reaching out to them with the annual “present for a pensioner” project is something to applaud. It is lovely to see such a wonderful project, letting those people trying to live an independent life know that they are not alone and there is a wider community out there ready to support and befriend them. This is something to commend.”

Would you like to get involved?

Any and all support for Present for a Pensioner, however large or small, is extremely well-received. Local businesses can partner with CareYourWay to provide funds or items for the hampers. All supporters will receive an honourable mention within the hampers, across CareYourWay’s social media platforms, and in a promotional Present for a Pensioner video. Individual donations are also very gratefully welcomed.

For more information, you can contact them by emailing care@careyourway.co.uk or calling 01548 521789.