HANDYPERSON SERVICE
Extremely
handy
“I don’t like to keep good
things to myself so I often
tell people about the
handyperson service,”
said Joan Edwards, one
of the first residents to
use the council’s service.
Caroline Clancy reports.
T
he handyperson service
started in 2003 and Joan, 92,
has been singing its praises
ever since.
It carries out simple jobs around the
home such as fitting smoke alarms,
changing lightbulbs and unblocking
sinks. It is available to all non-working
residents over 60, single parents on
benefits, and disabled and vulnerable
residents up to three times in a rolling
year. It is also now available to carers
who can also have three visits a year.
Over the years, the handyperson
30
around ealing
Winter 2015/16
service’s contractors have carried out
a number of jobs at Joan’s house in
Southall, including raising her bed to
make it easier to get in and out of, fixing
doors and access to the property.
The great-grandmother said: “It has
been marvellous and made it easier living
here. Without it, things would have
been a bit more of a struggle.
“It’s amazing how many little jobs
crop up – but you don’t want your son
to travel down from Scotland to put a
bolt on a door.
“All the contractors have been very
good, clean, courteous, tidy and punctual.”
‘I’M A VERY HAPPY CUSTOMER’
Joan is such as champion of the service
that she is a member of the council’s
user group which meets three times a
year to give feedback and share ideas.
Every week, she also welcomes other
pensioners to her home for a cup of
tea and to teach them exercises that
can be done in their armchairs.
“I’m a very happy customer and you
can’t beat word of mouth so I tell people
to use the handyperson service,” said
Joan. “It’s wonderful, especially because
people can be frightened of having
someone they don’t know in their house