12 days of Christmas: Christmas cheer for the elderly

Wendy Bremner with some of the Christmas hampers she and volunteers made up from the $10,000 airport gift. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Auckland Airport is giving away $120,000 to NZ charities as part of its 12 days of Christmas initiative this year. The Herald is profiling each of the winning charities.

Christmas is traditionally a time for families to come together and for friends to catch up.

But for many others, particularly the elderly, it can be a very isolating and sad time.

Age Concern Counties Manukau is one group that is helping to make sure that is not the case this Christmas, with about 240 volunteers out visiting elderly folk who live alone.

The group is one of 12 Kiwi charities to receive $10,000 from Auckland Airport's 12 days of Christmas campaign. The money will be used to make up Christmas hampers for volunteers to pass on to almost 200 elderly clients all around Auckland.

Chief executive Wendy Bremner said it would help bring a lot of happiness to people who might not have family or friends around to spend Christmas with.

"A lot of older people are isolated or they have mobility issues.

"Christmas time can be incredibly lonely for older people - a lot of their friends have passed away and their family aren't around."

Ms Bremner said those they connected with were aged between 75 to over 90. They also had a few clients aged between 65 and 75. Volunteers ranged from 18-80 and many often visited their clients more than the hour-long visits, per week, required.

Ms Bremner encouraged people to get to know their elderly neighbours and, if possible, pop over to say hello during the holidays.

"The hardest thing is when you're an older person trying to make that connection - there's a lot of you but just one of them. Maybe invite them over for a cup of tea, or ask if they'd like to come over to watch the kids open their presents - they would love it," she said.

Auckland Airport spokesman Charles Spillane said they were happy to include Age Concern Counties Manukau as one of the winners, given the work its volunteers do.

"We're thrilled the Christmas hampers will help them to bring a little Christmas cheer to the people they visit."