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Elderly London widow describes days alone in lockdown just watching TV

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Date18 June 2021
Published date18 June 2021
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
Last year, Lillian Urban, 88, became the endearing face of Age UK’s campaign to raise £64,000 for a new bus that has given her and other elderly residents the freedom to get out of their homes.

The short trips, only to Tesco, became their “lifeline” from the loneliness – particularly during the pandemic -of being stuck indoors without any exercise or visitors beside their carers.

They hit the ambitious fundraising target in late 2020, after their story was picked up by MyLondon and then ITV London News.

On Wednesday June 16, Lillian and her pal, Doris, were taken for a rare day out that was only possible thanks to the new bus and the charity’s volunteers.

They were treated to lunch and dessert at Age UK’s centre in Greyhound Road, Hammersmith, and a chance to socialise in the garden with new people. Whilst it provided only a small change of scenery from her little flat in Fulham Palace Road, Lillian said it was “so important” to her.

“It was a great day out for me because I only ever get out for the shopping or the doctors,” said Lillian, who uses a zimmer frame due to her arthritis.

“Normally I just watch telly all day. I’m housebound unless someone takes me somewhere. Otherwise I feel stranded.

“It was so nice because everybody was talking to us and they made you feel so welcome. It was like a family.”

Such opportunities to socialize don’t come often for Lillian, who was a dinner lady at Melcombe School until she retired.

Her husband has long since died of a heart attack, and Francis, the last of her three children – two of whom died young – succumbed to lung cancer two years ago.

Speaking again about her day out, Lillian said: “We had our dinner looking into the garden that had flowers dotted all around it, and then we sat outside for a while.

“For our dinner we had gammon with new...

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