A local woman, aged 83, has been awarded an ultimate care package from UK clothing retailer, Chums, in recognition of her tireless commitment to the community and her years of helping those with dementia.
Margaret Walker, from Leominster, has been described as the type of person who has a huge richness of spirit and generosity and makes Leominister all the richer for her contributions.
A born entertainer, she volunteers at her local nursing home,, bringing smiles and laughter to dementia patients. From playing the harp and piano to organising quizzes and singalongs, she carefully curates the sessions to allow the residents to join in and has even been mistaken for a resident herself!
An active member of her local church, she is often seen volunteering at “messy church” (for children) or writing and acting in humorous little plays bringing bible stories to life.
The prize comes from a leading UK clothing retailer specifically designed for shoppers aged 60 and above who were on the lookout for unsung heroes within their local communities who may not have received the recognition they deserve.
Chums launched the competition earlier this year and invited people across the UK to nominate an older person in their life who they believe is an everyday hero in their own right and who inspires younger generations.
Speaking on the competition, Paul Gray, Marketing Director of Chums, explained how they as a company wanted to give the opportunity for people to showcase how much of a positive impact these community heroes have and thank them for being generous with their time, their wisdom and their wit, The company also hopes to inspire others on the importance of supporting your local community.
As part of the package, each community hero Chums selected received:
- A £100 Ryanair voucher
- Theatre tickets for 2
- A £100 Chums voucher
- A selection of other goodies, including chocolate
According to Pauline Williams, who put Margaret forward for this prize, claimed Margaret is absolutely thrilled and a little embarrassed to have won especially as she didn’t know she had been nominated.
Pauline added: “Even the smallest gestures of kindness can have an enormous impact. Many people feel awkward about speaking to someone bereaved, for example, so they avoid the situation in case they say the wrong thing. But a chat, an offer of a meal, or company on a walk can make a tremendous difference to someone’s day.”
Margaret plans to go to the theatre with her husband Michael as they are celebrating their Diamond wedding anniversary in October and plan to combine that celebration with a theatre trip.
