Winter Warmer calls to lift spirits in lockdown

The Macular Society is launching a new series of weekly telephone calls to help raise the spirits of our members over the next few months – while restrictions continue to be put in place across the UK.

The Winter Warmer series, which launches tomorrow (Wednesday 4 November), will feature light-hearted discussions with people from many walks of life.

Every Wednesday, in the lead up to Christmas, guest speakers will join the call, which will be open to all members, to provide entertainment to those who need it most.

The first guest speakers will be from the Burgh Blatherers, who will share some entertaining stories from Scotland. 

Future events will include a session on Remembrance Day, when a Chelsea Pensioner will share anecdotes of their extraordinary life and times and a call on Christmas Day. We are also planning to host a special call with our new patron Vince Hill on Monday 21 December.

Maria Storesund, head of regions at the Macular Society, said the calls will run alongside the range of other virtual services the Society has set up to keep people in touch throughout the pandemic. She said: "The aim of our Winter Warmer calls is to reduce the isolation of our members. Winter is going to be a very difficult time for so many people, especially with so many restrictions in place and many people in lockdown.

She added: "The calls will be informal fun, interactive and at times educational." 

The calls will take place from 6-7pm. The number of callers will be limited, so if you are interested in joining the call you can register by calling 01264 326 622 or emailing befriending@macularsociety.org, making sure to put "Winter Warmers" in the email subject line.

If you are interested in joining a regular call, the Society has more than 400 local support groups across the UK. During the pandemic, most of the groups have replaced their regular meetings with regular calls. Find out if there is a group in your area or call us on 0300 3030 111.