Bryan the Firefighter and 102-year-old Dolly
Published on 08 June 2020 10:05 AM
Bryan is a Firefighter for Kent Fire & Rescue, who volunteers at The Chris Ellis Centre, Age UK Medway two days a week to help deliver hot meals to older people who are isolating. Bryan’s heart strings were pulled the minute he met 102-year-old Dolly.
Dolly was referred to Age UK Medway by MHS Homes, as she lives alone and does not have any family in the Medway area that can help her with her shopping and cooking during the government-advised lockdown.
Bryan met Dolly on his first ever meal delivery run in March, and they hit it off straight away. Bryan and Dolly have struck up a lovely friendship; Dolly loves to tell Bryan fascinating stories about her life, her memories of working during the war and her friendly pet hedgehog and Bryan loves to listen to them.
Bryan told us of Dolly’s brilliant sense of humour and “wonderful character”, and says he “couldn’t believe it” when he was told that she is 102 years’ old, as she came strolling out of her kitchen to greet him. In Dolly’s words, her legs were “made for walking!”. Bryan looks forward to seeing Dolly and says that every time he visits her, he gets “another little snippet of her life”.
One of Bryan’s favourite stories which Dolly has shared with him, is about a “little pet hedgehog” which used to come to visit Dolly in her conservatory. Bryan told us how Dolly loved to spend time in her conservatory and would feed her little hedgehog visitor, explaining to him that they are “lovely creatures”.
Dolly, who was a young woman during the second world war, told us of her vivid memories during that time. Dolly remembers getting the train from Strood to Bond Street in London every morning, as she was working her way up in her career as a Dress Maker, earning £3 a week. One day, in August 1939, Dolly arrived to work to be told that if war is declared, she mustn’t come back until they send for her. Dolly told us how war was declared that very weekend on 1st September 1939, and that she never did go back.
Dolly informed her Support Officer at MHS Homes, Hayley, that the food is nice but more than that, she just feels so very “lucky” to receive this support. Hayley feels that Dolly would have been “very stuck” without this service. Ann Millington, CEO of Kent Fire & Rescue, says she is “so proud” of Bryan and all of her Firefighter Officers who are giving up their free time to help older people at many local Age UKs in Kent.
If you would like to know more about volunteering for Age UK Medway, please call us on 01634 790140. For enquiries about Meal Deliveries, call 01634 724745 or email enquiries@ageukmedway.org.uk.