Shropshire Star

Joy as Shropshire care home residents reunited with family thanks to purpose-built visiting pod

It was an emotional moment as residents of a Shropshire care home were reunited with family members thanks to a purpose-built visiting pod.

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Fundraising lead Gill Kelly chats to her mum Eleanor in the visiting pod

Fundraisers had worked tirelessly to ensure the facility at the Lady Forester Centre in Broseley could be built, meaning elderly members of the community can now see their relatives.

The pod, which cost around £4,000, creates a Covid-secure, warm, indoor environment and will remain as a permanent fixture, with hopes that it could be used once the pandemic is over.

The money was raised from fundraising initiatives and generous donations from the town council and the local community.

Gill Kelly, the fundraising lead for the initiative and a trustee of the home, has used the pod to visit her mother Eleanor.

She said: "We felt it was vitally important that we didn't just sit back and wait for Covid to finish, we had to be proactive in caring for people in care homes, who are struggling right across the country.

"Before Christmas we started a fundraising project to support the Lady Forester Centre.

"We wanted to try and raise enough money to get an indoor visiting space where people could see their family members in a warm, safe environment.

"We've now got it up and running and it's such a worthwhile thing we wanted to let everyone know.

Positive

"It's a real positive news story to come out of Broseley in the current climate where people are very anxious.

"We wanted to show people what can be achieved and let people know this facility is now available."

Gill said the company that build the fixture, Nimlok, had specialised in building stands for events, but diversified when the pandemic struck.

"Nimlok were excellent.," she said. "They didn't try and make any money out of us and I felt that as they were a business doing all they could to keep their workers employed, they would be a great company to support."

A spokesperson from the centre in Church Street said: "It's great that family members can now visit the residents.

"Thank you to all those who donated to make this happen and for the generous support from the community."

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