"I just feel forgotten. I think most pensioners are."
It's one of the first things 77-year old Doreen Ahmed says as we sit down at the kitchen table of her Moston home. Doreen lives alone, and struggles to get out and about by herself. Her children have mostly left Manchester, and as she became more and more isolated, figuring out how she could afford to get healthy, nutritious food delivered to her door was becoming a worry.
Like so many others, Doreen told the Manchester Evening News she had been reluctant to ask for help. "I didn't think there was anything out there for me," she said. On her quiet road, which she says is completely occupied by pensioners, many of whom are housebound, its easy to see how someone like her could fall through the cracks.
READ MORE: Help the hungry in Greater Manchester as we launch Christmas campaign to tackle food poverty
But thanks to one very special charity, she hasn't. Doreen has started to receive weekly food parcels from Humans MCR, a Blackley-based food drive which delivers to needy residents across the region. It means she can get access to healthy, nutritious food without worrying about how she will pay for her transport to the supermarket and back, and how she can afford the food itself. Doreen is just one of hundreds of people that Humans MCR help weekly - one of the many reasons we've chosen to support them for our Christmas campaign.
We arrive alongside driver Steve, who travels across Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Trafford, and Stockport to deliver the much-needed packages. From the moment he arrives, it's obvious how much the service means to Doreen. At the sight of a Dairy Milk advent calendar packed neatly on top of her regular groceries, her eyes light up. "I'm going to give that to my great-grandson," she says, smiling. "Isn't that so nice of them?"
It's a difficult time for many, but Doreen says she's particularly aware of how the elderly are feeling the pinch during the cost of living crisis. "I think people get forgotten," she said. "I didn't realise I could access anything like this."
She was put in touch with Humans MCR after being given a list of helpful phone numbers and websites at a Caritas social group she attends. The 77-year-old told the M.E.N she wouldn't have thought to even try had she not been pointed in the right direction. Once she reached out to Humans MCR, she said she received a food parcel within just a few days.
"I was quite shocked because it's so nice. I didn't know what to expect," she said. "I've never used anything like this before. I didn't know there was anything out there for me - you just think it's only for the elderly in sheltered accommodation."
Like everyone else, Doreen said she has seen her costs rise, and increasing mobility issues mean she is unable to leave the house as often as she'd like. She said she has always loved being active and independent, so reaching out and asking for help was challenging. "I didn't feel alright about it," she told the M.E.N. "But I thought I'd try. I thought it would save me, with everything going up."
The Moston-born great-grandmother is now two weeks into receiving parcels from Humans MCR, and said she's been nothing but impressed by the service. "They're lovely," she added. "It's like just going out to the shop. The food looks fresh."
Co-founder Lewey Hellewell, who started Humans MCR after his own 'undignified' experiences of using food banks, told the M.E.N how important it is to him that the packages the charity delivers are presented neatly. He and the rest of the team aim to treat every person who uses their service with respect and kindness, and food is delivered in unbranded vans to maintain privacy.
The team also give users choice over the food they receive, meaning they can cater to a variety of different cultural and dietary requirements. They know we are coming up to a tough winter, and are urging anyone who is struggling to get in touch to see if they can help. We are also working with them to help raise money to tackle hunger in Greater Manchester this Christmas - you can donate to the campaign here.
Doreen said that although she found it hard to reach out initially, she 'couldn't have wished for anything better' and is 'so grateful' to Humans MCR for their support. When asked what message she would give to others in the area who may be struggling this Christmas, she encouraged people not to hesitate to get in touch with the charity.
"Don't think twice.," she said. "Don't sit and think about it. Because I did - but I couldn't have wished for anything better.
"I'm not embarrassed that I've got it, because I know it's going to help me, and I'm glad I did it."
Want to help us make sure nobody goes hungry this Christmas? Donate to the campaign here.
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