News

Norfolk’s innovative new teleclub and teleshopping services, which are part of the At Home, Not Alone project will be full steam ahead from Wednesday, November 22. 

North Norfolk Steam Railway will be holding a special train journey from Sheringham to Holt for older people from Norfolk to launch the new services which aim to help people remain independent in their own homes for longer. 

Former Anglia TV presenter Helen McDermott will be blowing the whistle to get the journey rolling and mark the start of the new services which are being piloted in North Norfolk but if successful will be rolled out throughout the county. The project is part of the County's Digital Challenge bid My Norfolk.

Both the teleshopping and teleclub services are being set up by Age Concern North Norfolk and Norfolk County Council as part of the £3.6m Partnership for Older People’s Projects which has been awarded to Norfolk over the next two years. 

Chris Mowle, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services said: "I am really pleased that Norfolk is launching these innovative new services which are aimed at enabling people to remain in their own homes for longer - it shows, yet again, that we are at the forefront of preventative services in the country. Now that we are full steam ahead I hope that older people will sign up to the new services and make full use of them." 

Teleshopping is a fortnightly shopping service to older people unable to do their own shopping. Local, accredited shops will deliver shopping to individuals homes, offer occasional visits to shops and an unpacking service for a small quarterly subscription. 

The teleclub service aims to bring older people throughout the county together in a friendship club which will be run over the telephone. Teleclub will offer up to three weekly calls from the club to discuss any topic, chaired ‘phone-in’ coffee mornings and a contacts service which puts people directly in touch with others with similar interests. 

Eamon McGrath, Acting Chief Officer at Age Concern North Norfolk said: "Age Concern North Norfolk are delighted to be a partner in this new project to deliver local services for older people in the district.  The services will help to make life a little easier and more fulfilling for the people who use them." 

Annual membership for each service is £40 which can be paid annually or quarterly. There is a reduced rate for membership to both services with annual membership costing £60 a year or £15 a quarter. 

For more information and a membership pack contact for teleshopping: Chris Finch the Teleshopping Co-ordinator at Age Concern, Sheringham on 01263 824735 and for teleclub: Isobel Smith, Age Concern North Norfolk on 01263 823703.