 SHONA IS
BACKING PENSIONERS and disabled people in a bid to bring
back their fruit and veg deliveries.
Pensioners
who go the Curzon Centre in Cleethorpes Coulbeck Drive get
their fruit and vegetables delivered to them while they are at the
centre.
However, the
Care Directorate has decided that, in order to safeguard vulnerable
people, the fruit and veg would be banned.
Shona said:
‘You couldn’t make it up, could you? What harm was this doing?
The fruit and veg has been delivered to the centre for
years.
‘The ban on
fruit and veg deliveries came right out of the blue. The staff
didn’t know it was going to happen. The users didn’t know it was
going to happen. The shop that supplied the fruit and veg didn’t
know it was going to happen. There doesn’t seem to have been any
advance discussions about the ban.'
Centre user
George Bryant (pictured above) approached Shona to ask for her
support. Mr Bryant is also one of the centre's committee
members.
Mr Bryant
from Humberston revealed that there were no discussions with
the committee either.
Mr Bryant
explained: ‘When this was done, many of the users of the centre
were on holiday or away – it was between Christmas and New Year.
Our next committee meeting isn’t until 26 January. Perhaps they
hoped that we will have forgotten by then – us being oldies. But we
won’t.
‘The people
who use the centre can’t get out to the shops. Getting their order
brought to the centre is a real lifesaver for many of
them.’
R&J
Fruit and Veg who deliver to the centre were told on 30 December
2008 to ‘terminate’ their visits.
Richard
Smith of R&J told Shona: ‘I love delivering to the Curzon
Centre – the people there are great. We’ve been doing this for 20
years. On 30 December I was told to leave. There were no
negotiations at all. I know that I don’t have a written contract
with the centre, but that wasn’t how it was done 20 years
ago.
Shona said:
‘Of course, we need to be careful when we are dealing with
vulnerable people, but where is the common sense in banning fruit
and veg deliveries? If the Care Directorate were worried about
contracts, wouldn’t it have been better to have discussed the
matter with the centre’s own committee and with Mr
Smith?
‘This
doesn’t cost the centre any money. The users get their fruit and
veg – which is healthy. It also supports a small
business.
‘I do hope
that the Directorate reflects upon what they have done and takes a
decision to reinstate what is a valuable and much appreciated
service.’
10
January 2009
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