‘Elderly mustn’t be forgotten!, say Frances Davidson and Virgina Low - ’ Duo ready to champion plight of old
Published: 11 February 2011
by PETER GRUNER
BRANDISHING their Freedom Passes, two women were appointed Islington’s first ever Older People’s Champions yesterday (Thursday).
Virgina Low, 65, and Frances Davidson, 67, say they are on a mission to tackle cases of unfair treatment of senior citizens. The duo have vowed to fight on behalf of the estimated 17,600 people aged over 65 who live in the borough.
It’s all voluntary work – well this is the Big Society – but Islington Council has promised to find Virgina and Frances a “cubby hole” at the Town Hall that will be their operations room.
Both women have faced traumatic personal experiences which turned them into fighters.
American-born Virginia, who lives in Angel, famously launched the mental health charity the Stuart Low Trust almost 15 years ago after her 27-year-old son of the same name committed suicide following a bout of depression.
The full-time organisation now provides much-needed support, described as like an “extended family”, for people with mental health problems who feel lonely, depressed or stigmatised by society.
Virginia said she was delighted to have been appointed and hoped she could help raise the status of old people in the borough.
“I’d like to publicise the contributions old people make,” she added. “At the same time people need to know what support is available.”
Frances, a former BBC production assistant, from Holloway, became disabled after keyhole surgery on her stomach went badly wrong in 1998. She was in a coma for a month and now uses crutches to get around. She campaigns on mobility and disability issues and has worked for Age UK.
Talking about the job, Frances said: “There are a lot of people over 65 who can’t get around.
“We must make sure that they have the right care and they have not been forgotten.
“But many old folk don’t have access to computers, which means they miss out on important information. “
Executive Member for Health and Adult Care, Labour Councillor Janet Burgess, who appointed the Champions, said the elderly represent nine per cent of the borough, with an estimated 4,900 over 80. She added: “Six people applied for the post and in the end we offered it to Virginia and Frances as a job share.
“They will be asked to report to the council from time to time on the issues that concern them.
“They are both extremely talented volunteers in their own fields and will do a brilliant job raising the profiles of the elderly.”
Turn-off New telly plea
IT may not go straight to the top of their things-to-do list, but Islington’s newly appointed Older People’s Champions are being asked to investigate the case of a missing television.
After weeks of dust and noise on a building site over the road, elderly residents at Hawberry Lodge sheltered home in North Road, Holloway, thought that the construction company involved promised them a new 40-inch flat-screen TV by way of compensation. Now it appears it has all been a “misunderstanding” as the company, Higgins Construction, maintain that they never promised the new television in the first place.
A spokesman for the firm said: “This is a case where our officer was clearly misunderstood. However, we are still looking at how we can resolve the issue.”