A Dundee firm’s charity partnership is about to bring a surprise smile to the faces of 70 local citizens.
Dover Fueling Solutions has delivered a heap of Christmas hampers to Grey Lodge Settlement, based in the Hilltown.
It is a repeat of the company’s generosity in 2020 when the West Pitkerro Industrial Estate operation also gifted the group a load of festive goodies.
Grey Lodge manager Alan Duncan said: “Dover made us their charity of the year for 2021 and they have been absolutely brilliant to us.
“They started this partnership last Christmas and it is such a great thing for us.
“We have a list of people who will be getting a hamper and they don’t know a thing about it.
“It’s a nice thing to be able to surprise them and put a smile on their face.”
Pandemic challenges
Alan said that despite the challenges of the pandemic, Grey Lodge had enjoyed another successful year helping local pensioners and others.
And it is looking forward to developing new links in 2022.
“Because we’ve been going for 133 years, the people of Dundee are very supportive of our work,” Alan said.
“And we are very appreciative of that.”
“It has been difficult and I think there are many elderly who feel even more lonely, more isolated.
“They have lost their confidence.”
“But we are knocking on doors, picking them up with the minibus and giving small groups a soup and pudding lunch.
“It’s also given us a lot of ideas for the future.
“We are going to increase the community inclusion aspect of what we do.
“We have been mixing the generations by involving young folk with the people who come to us.
“We’ve realised there’s an even bigger need for that,” Alan said.
The charity’s groups range from the Little Lodgers to a successful over-50s club which enjoys activities including dancing and outdoor trips.
Grey Lodge Settlement was recognised as one of the city’s charity champions for its work during the height of the pandemic.
