By Press Release
A charity event, at St Catherine’s Church in Ventnor, marked the end of Operation Geranium for another year.
The scheme, in which volunteers deliver pots of plants to isolated and vulnerable elderly Island residents, first took place during the original lockdown last year. It was set-up by Care In The Garden, a Wootton-based community interest company giving people with disabilities the right to work, and Age UK.
The project is supported by local health-care hospital worker, Steve Double from Ryde, and also involves distributing free postcards by Island artists so local people can keep in touch with family and friends all over the world.
The event featured live music from Steeleye Span guitarist, Julian Littman, Voodoo Raven and many others.
Steve said: “We started delivering the geraniums in May, and we’ve delivered around 600 of them, so that’s the end of this year’s efforts. We’ve helped to bring a little bit of sunshine into the lives of so many people who were left on their own.”
Former High Sheriff, Caroline Peel, who has supported the project since its launch also attended, and added: “It’s really given people a lift and made others think about the elderly and what they can do to help them.”
Header picture Left to right, Julian Littman, Caroline Peel, Steve Double and Charlie Dore
