Uplifting news: Free food delivery for homeless and ‘adopt a grandparent’ invite

A charity has launched the UK’s first free food delivery service for the homeless, and thousands have signed up to “adopt a grandparent” at care homes in Thursday’s news.

Here is a look at some of the day’s more uplifting stories you might have missed.

– A charity has launched the UK’s first free food delivery service for the homeless

Caring In Bristol has created a drive to provide restaurant-quality meals to the homeless during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The charity aims to feed up to 600 people per day, the majority of whom have been moved by Bristol City Council from shelters and off the streets into places where they can self-isolate.

This includes rough sleepers placed in hotel rooms, hostels and emergency accommodation, as well as homeless families placed in temporary accommodation.

Councillor Paul Smith, cabinet member for housing at Bristol City Council, said: “This is a really difficult time for everyone.

“We are so proud that Bristol has risen to the challenge of making sure homeless people and rough sleepers have a safe and secure place to stay during the crisis.”

– Thousands of people have signed up to “adopt a grandparent” at UK care homes

A care home is inviting people to “adopt a grandparent” by holding video calls with its residents during the coronavirus lockdown.

CHD Living, which has 16 care facilities in Surrey, has seen a large sign-up, with 28,000 people around the world joining to volunteer from the ages of one to 76.

“The idea behind it was to promote inter-generational communication and the relationship between children and older people, which is very valuable,” said Shaleeza Hasham, head of hospitality, communications and commissioning for CHD Living.

“By taking it digital, we felt it was so valuable to relieve potential feelings of isolation and loneliness.”

Staff hope that once the pandemic has passed and it is safe to do so, as many of the volunteers as possible will visit their adopted grandparent in person.

– A boss spent an online meeting as a potato after triggering her camera filter

With companies across the world getting to grips with working from home, one boss accidentally spent a virtual meeting as a potato.

Political director Lizet Ocampo was leading an online meeting with her team at People for the American Way in Washington DC when she accidentally triggered one of the camera’s filters.

But when she was unable to figure out how to turn it off she had to spend the rest of the meeting as a potato.

Colleague Rachele Clegg told the PA news agency: “We started our weekly Monday meeting and decided we all needed some human interaction and one by one, turned on our cameras … We laughed for a good 10 minutes straight.”

– A “thrilled” centenarian celebrated her 100th birthday with family via FaceTime

Joan Blacker, who lives at Huntington & Langham Estate in Surrey, celebrated her 100th birthday with family via FaceTime.

Helped by staff at the care home, the centenarian heard from members of her wide family, which includes three sons, 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

“On the one hand, it’s a great shame that Mrs Blacker happened to turn 100 during an unprecedented health crisis,” said Charlie Hoare, the care home’s director.

“However, thanks to technology, all was by no means lost … Mrs Blacker was thrilled with the experience and so were we.”

– A boy who moved house the day before the UK lockdown received messages from across the world

A seven-year-old left isolated after moving house just before the UK lockdown has received messages from across the world after a social media appeal.

Harley Glen was due to start year two at his new primary school on Tuesday, but the coronavirus outbreak meant he was unable to say goodbye to family and friends in Scotland or meet new people in Yorkshire.

His mother Ashley Glen sent an appeal on a local Facebook group asking for pen pals to get in touch with “terribly lonely” Harley, either by messaging her on Instagram or sending a written letter to his new school.

“We have had Instagram messages from a family in Osaka, Japan, two families from New Zealand and a lot from around here, it’s crazy,” Mrs Glen said.

Harley told PA that the messages made him feel “happy” but said: “I would probably be scared if I became friends with everyone in the world.”