Two military veterans who faced spending Christmas on their own have now formed a Covid ‘bubble’ – so that they can enjoy the festive day together.
Ian Thomas, 73, and Dougie Shelley, 95, were both going to be by themselves on Christmas Day next week, as neither have any family nearby.
But when the Armed Forces charity, SSAFA, heard about the isolation of the two veterans, it was suggested they form a support bubble, so they have someone to enjoy Christmas Day with.
Now the pair, who have struck up a a friendship over the last five years, will spend Christmas together at Dougie’s house in Southend, Essex.
Chel Turner-Everett, divisional secretary of SSAFA Southend, said: “Ian mentioned that he was going to be on his own at Christmas.
“So I spoke to Dougie, who I already knew was also going to be on his own, and I said to them “Why don’t you spend the day together and I’ll organise the lunch for you?”
“So that’s what I’ve done.”
Ian served as a captain in the Army, while Dougie sailed in the arctic convoys in the Royal Navy in World War 2.
Chel added: “They feel a lot better. It’s not a day that you really want to be on your own.
“They’ve known each other for about four to five years so they’re becoming friends.
“Ian looks after Dougie during the lockdown. He will go out and do the shopping for him and if he needs anything Ian will make sure Dougie has got it.
“Ian’s family isn’t local. He’s got a daughter in New Zealand, a son in Oxford and another son in Singapore so he hasn’t got much family over here.
“Dougie unfortunately has outlived his family.”
Chel has organised for a Christmas dinner to be delivered to Dougie’s home from Glenwood Café in Westcliff.
She said: “We’re going to make sure they’ve got a drink each for the day so they can celebrate Christmas properly and make sure they’ve got Christmas crackers and everything.
“It seemed to me a very simple solution for two isolated people to put them together.
“We look after our veterans all through their lives. That’s what Christmas is all about, spending it with people you care about.”
Ian says he has been visiting Dougie at least once a week during the second lockdown – and that his friend “loves” him going to visit.
He said: “Dougie is fantastic. He loves chatting away, and he’s always fun to listen to.
“He mostly talks about the past, but he always has a new story to tell, or a new joke to share.
“We’ve become very good friends over the last few years, I’ve got to know him quite well.”
Fit and active Ian usually walks the five kilometre round-trip to Dougie’s house and back at least once a week – often more – to take him his pension money and any shopping he needs.
And he said that he and Dougie are looking forward to spending Christmas together – with a full Christmas meal paid for them by SSAFA.
He said: “If I was on my own like I usually am, I’d probably just have a sandwich or something for lunch on the day.
“It’ll be good for us both to have some company.
“If the weather is dry on the day, I’ll walk over so I can enjoy a couple of drinks with him, too.”
Dougie, who has no remaining family and has been on his own since his wife died 18 years ago, said it will make “a lot of difference” to have someone to spend Christmas Day with this year.
He said: “It will be really nice to have a proper Christmas dinner with someone – all the rest of the Christmases I’ve been on my own.
“It makes a lot of difference when you have someone to talk to.
“I don’t see a lot of people – Ian and Chel from SSAFA come round and bring me my pension and my shopping, and then I have a carer and a cleaner come once a week.
“I don’t know what I would do without them.
“Ian is on his own too, so it will be nice for both of us.”
Dad-of-four Ian has two sons who live in the UK – but one is “seriously ill” with cancer, so he will not be able to see them this year due to Covid restrictions.