Pop's Parcels

If you are in the UK, you surely would have seen the Christmas John Lewis commercial by now.  In case you haven’t, it’s a little story about an elderly gentleman isolated on the moon and a young girl who sends him a present so he knows someone is thinking of him.  Sadly this is reality for a lot of elderly people.

Luckily there are people in the world like my friend Jo Bell.  Three years ago Jo created a local charity appeal called “Pop’s Parcels”.  Similar to the shoebox appeal, people can donate boxes/gift bags for elderly people who will be alone at Christmas.  This year the donations came in floods!  I went with Jo one afternoon to find some recipients at local care homes.  We filled my car (I have a 7 seater Zafira) and off we went.  When we came back the reserves had been replenished!  Another carload of donations had arrived to take the place of the ones we had given away.  

There are also a number of “elves” delivering and collecting on behalf of Pop’s Parcels.  I tagged along on Christmas Eve with another friend to deliver a parcel (including treats for his dog!) to a deserving elderly gentleman with no family.

Jo doesn’t just worry about these lonely and often vulnerable people at Christmas, she runs a business year round called Nanna Fridays.  She befriends and visits regularly with folks who don’t have family nearby.  

If you’d like to see more photos from Pop’s Parcels or to get in touch with Jo, check out her facebook page - here.

Merry Christmas!