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30 July 2022
International Friendship day: Maureen and Margaret's story
It's The International Day of Friendship!
Blesma cares not only for Limbless Veterans, but for their widows too. Member-to-Member support is a vital part of Blesma's offer, and never is that more obvious than in the Associations' Annual Seniors' weeks.
It was at a week like this that Maureen and Margaret formed a dynamic duo, and were able
to support each other at an important time. They first met at a Seniors Week in 2016, shortly after Margaret’s husband, David, had died. They then met up at the event again, shortly after Margaret's husband died in 2019.
“Jim died at the end of August but when I knew Margaret was going to be here, I had to come,” says 65-year-old Maureen from Bolton.
“This is the first time I’ve been to Seniors Week on my own, and it has been lovely in spite of the circumstances. It’s good to meet different people and hear their stories, and I like to get out and about, see different places, and do things I wouldn’t do on my own.
I knew Margaret from an earlier trip – she had just lost her husband back then. We made friends and I was able to help her. She has been returning the favour this time around. The week has been just what I needed, particularly with the chance to be around Margaret, with all her stories. Everyone has got their own story about what happened to them and how they got here. You respect everyone’s abilities and disabilities, and you learn what they can and can’t do. Everyone helps each other.”
Margaret
“I’d just lost my husband on the 2016 trip and it was the first time I’d been away on my own,” recalls Margaret, 71, from Colchester. “
This week has been great fun. It’s a lovely week, and it’s nice to go somewhere under your own steam. The week allows you to be independent and meet new people with whom you have things in common. You gel straight away with everyone else, and the BSOs work so hard to make the whole experience fantastic – they do everything for us!
Seniors Week is a way of getting away from everything on your own terms and not being cosseted by friends or family. You can relax and be friendly with people who you’ve probably never met but who you’re sure to have lots in common with. Blesma is a great organisation, the help they gave me when my husband was ill was incredible.”
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