Every week the GGG team head off to Asda Toryglen for some retail therapy with a difference. Usually the team is shopping for around 30 people so that the day centres’ cooks can transform fresh produce into healthy meals. However, now that social distancing is in place and the centres have closed, it’s a quick supermarket sweep then back to the centre to get bag packing!
Staff at Asda Toryglen have been incredibly accommodating and supportive of the work that GGG is doing to support older adults across Glasgow. The team has been able to allocate times for staff to shop and this arrangement has really helped the charity to plan ahead.
Over the past 6 weeks the team have got to know some of the staff and have been delighted to discover a member of Team GGG working in the store! Community Champion, Elizabeth Arbuckle (pictured right) is a volunteer with GGG and has been supporting the White Heather Club in Castlemilk for over 3 years. Without help from volunteers like Elizabeth, GGG wouldn’t be able to carry on the work that it does and would struggle to reach the older adults who meet our help.
The White Heather Club isn’t able to meet at the moment, but staff continue to support the older adults who attend via phone.
Elizabeth said: “Everyone at Asda Toryglen is delighted to be able support Glasgow’s Golden Generation as they continue to provide older adults with the essential items they need at this time.
“The blur of bright orange t-shirts has become a familiar sight in the store every week as we see GGG staff rushing to ensure they have everything older adults might need as well as a few nice added extras!
“The charity is close to my heart as I have been volunteering with one of GGG’s clubs for several years and have had the opportunity to see first-hand the fantastic work they do and the difference they make.”
GGG is working in partnership with a huge number of local businesses and suppliers during this challenging time. In addition to the £10k donation from the Celtic Foundation, and £4k from SP Energy Networks, a grant of £8k has recently be made by City Charitable Trust enabling the charity has been able to purchase huge amounts of food and supplies needed for the vulnerable older adults the charity is supporting.
