NEWS

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) has reported a big jump in the number of people accessing its services, as demand in the district grows. The number of survey respondents who said they access services provided by WiSE at least once a week leapt from 30 to 54 per cent year-on-year. Calls for extra dementia support have fallen meanwhile, after WiSE upped its memory café provision. The findings form part of the results of a major annual consultation delivered by Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) to find out more about what people of all ages think about…

A popular charity postal scheme needs poppy-themed cards to help Wetherby older people mark Remembrance Day. Wetherby in Support of the Elderly is making an early call for crafty kids and volunteers to hand make the cards, which will then be sent to over 60s across the district in November. It’s all part of WiSE’s ‘Send A Smile’ scheme, which aims to cut feelings of isolation by sending older people pieces of proper post to let them know someone is thinking of them. Melody Mills, Send a Smile Scheme coordinator, said: “Our seasonal appeals are really successful, with hundreds of…

Wetherby in Support of the Elderly’s (WiSE) is appealing for superhero kids to make cards over the school holidays to make isolated older people smile. WiSE’s ‘Send A Smile’ scheme aims to cut feelings of isolation and loneliness by asking people to spare 10 minutes to send an older person some handmade post. Now the charity wants to ramp up its efforts over summer, to build on the 2,725 pieces of post it has already sent under the initiative. Melody Mills, Send a Smile Scheme coordinator, said: “We would love it if local kids could be superstar heroes this summer…

A Wetherby charity volunteer who lost two grandparents during the Covid-19 pandemic is raising money for older people in a bid to reduce loneliness. Mal Leszczynska will run a half marathon for Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE) having seen how lonely her nana and grandma had become in the last years of their lives. She hopes the money she raises will help WiSE to fund further activities to reduce loneliness for older people living in Wetherby and its surrounding villages. Mal said: “I have been volunteering for WiSE since February this year. As I work shifts, I’m fortunate…

A Wetherby woman’s tombola marathon will raise money for older people as a thank you for her dad’s dementia support. Adele Fairburn plans to run tombolas at her 15 Bee Crafty Markets throughout the year to boost funds for Wetherby in Support of the Elderly (WiSE). The charity hosts a memory café which Adele says has been a major source of support for her dad Ron who is living with dementia. Adele said: “My dad, Ron, has dementia, which has had a massive impact on both him and the rest of the family. He has recently started to attend the…