Manchester PCSOs hailed as ‘angels’ after shopping for elderly man with no food in his cupboards
They took him shopping for food on their lunch break, and delivered a television and washing machine after seeing he was struggling to care for himself
Two Greater Manchester PCSOs have been hailed as ‘angels’ after rushing to the aid of a vulnerable 68-year-old, following a concerned call from a relative.
PCSOs Colin Taylor and Paul Dawson went above and beyond for the elderly man in Rochdale, taking him shopping for food on their lunch break and delivering a television and washing machine.
The pair had been on a routine call checking on the man in the Firgrove area, but when they entered the property they quickly realised that he was struggling to look after himself and had no food in his fridge or cupboards.
Going beyond the call of duty, the duo decided to take matters into their own hands and drove the man to the shop themselves, helping him with his trolley and shopping inside – picking up essentials like bread, milk, and squash alongside a few treats.
Image: GMP Rochdale
They then delivered him safely home with his haul, before making sure that his details were passed on to agencies that can help him going forward.
ADVERTISEMENT
The PCSOs have been back to see the man to deliver a television and a washing machine that has been donated by a member of the public.
The man’s sister, who didn’t want to be named, described the pair as ‘angels’ and said she “can’t praise them enough.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“They knew he needed some help and didn’t hesitate,” she added.
“They still go back and see him every other day to check up and make sure he is okay.”
PCSO Dawson said: “We treated him as we would want our own families to be treated.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We heard that he didn’t feel up to going out but when we offered to take him, he lit up and it clearly touched him.
“For us this is our bread and butter and serving the community is the most rewarding part of the job.
“Our referrals to other agencies will now ensure he has everything he needs.”
Rochdale Neighbourhood Sergeant, PS Matthew Honey, said: “They really have gone above and beyond the call of duty but that is nothing less than I would expect from my team.
“Acts like this are not a one-off and we are committed to helping the most vulnerable people on our beats.”
Featured image: GMP Rochdale
News
Work to make Stevenson Square ‘more pedestrian and cyclist friendly’ begins next week
Emily Sergeant
Improvement works to make Stevenson Square more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists is to finally begin next week.
After it was confirmed back in 2022 that the majority of the Northern Quarter square would remain pedestrianised following a trial that proved successful during the COVID pandemic, Manchester City Council has now revealed that contractors will begin work on the site to bring “a range of improvements to the area” from next week.
Work is to officially begin on Monday 5 June, and is expected to continue right through until October.
Councillors says it’s been their ambition for several years to carry out travel improvement works in Stevenson Square to not only “improve the amenity of the area”, but also implement changes that will “encourage a greater degree of walking and cycling”.
Work to make Stevenson Square ‘more pedestrian and cyclist friendly’ begins next week / Credit: Manchester City Council | David Dixon (via Geograph)
Some of the scheduled works include new pedestrian crossings at the junctions of Hilton and Oldham Street, Hilton and Newton Street, and Lever Street and Stevenson Square, as well as new tactile paving, the removal of pay and display bays, and the introduction of static blocks to help regulate vehicle access to the area.
There also be a new two-way cycleway running through Stevenson Square itself, and plenty of additional seating added to the ever-popular social hub.
Improvement works are expected to continue right through until October 2023 / Credit: TfGM
Work in Stevenson Square forms the second section of the Northern Quarter Walking and Cycling Scheme, and is all part of Manchester City Council’s new wider ‘Active Travel’ strategy to put walking and cycling “at the heart of transport policy” and work towards making Manchester a zero-carbon city.
The Council says work is progressing well to create a joined-up network that runs between Piccadilly and Victoria Railway Stations.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council, says that the work taking place over the coming months “will help make this area a more vibrant and accessible part of Manchester.”
Featured Image – TfGM
News
Greater Manchester customers slam Sainsbury’s policy that makes them ‘feel like thieves’
Georgina Pellant
Customers at a number of Sainsbury’s stores in Greater Manchester have been left fuming as the result of a policy requiring receipts to be scanned before they can exit
Upon leaving stores, shoppers at Sainsbury’s supermarkets in Fallowfield and Salford are being confronted with automated barriers that can only be opened by scanning their receipt – or by contacting a store assistant.
Many have taken to Reddit to slam the new policy, with several claiming it is a ‘pointless waste of money and time’ and others saying they have been left ‘feeling like thieves’.
The receipt barriers, some shoppers say, only ‘makes life harder’ – yet it appears that Sainsbury’s is planning to roll them out at other stores across the UK too, following on from the introduction of cameras at its self-service stations in recent years.
The move by the supermarket echoes similar moves by the American supermarket Walmart, which is notorious for staff approaching ‘random’ customers at its exits and asking them to produce their receipts as they leave stores.
You don’t have to comply with this. Just push the barrier open and keep walking.@sainsburys need to learn to treat their customers better. pic.twitter.com/aCnPyxixWu
A series of recent posts on Reddit exposes several threads in which users commented on the introduction of the receipt barriers, both here in Greater Manchester as well as further afield.
The social media site reveals that stores in Fallowfield and Salford have both become unpopular since they started adopting the policy, which requires customers to scan receipts in order for them to exit.
If receipts are not scanned, barriers prevent customers from leaving until a store assistant is contacted.
One Reddit user has posted a picture of a notice in one of the Sainsbury’s store, reading: “We’ve introduced new barriers as you leave this store.”
“You’ll need to take your receipt and scan this on the barcode reader in front of the barriers.”
@sainsburys Salford New Bailey Square- security colleague very unpleasantly ordered me to scan the receipt from the Costa machine instead of tapping the drink on the screen. A meal deal so wouldn’t effect the price. Why is the option to tap on the screen if not allowed to use?
— Andrew O'Callaghan (@andyocallaghan) May 7, 2023
The original poster said they were ‘not a fan of how this is spreading’, leading other users on the site to agree.
Another person said the policy was a ‘pointless waste of money and time’ that ‘just makes everyone’s life harder, whilst another customer added: “Looks like Sainsbury’s can get f****d then.”
@sainsburys Salford making you scan your receipt after using self scan. What a big fat waste of paper. Grow up
@sainsburys I've just been locked in to self-checkout for not getting a receipt. By treating me as a thief you have lost me as a decades-long customer. Outrageous. Open more checkouts if you want to verify all purchases. You are greedy and hostile. Goodbye and good riddance.
The installation of the barriers has left some customers “feeling like thieves” since their arrival last year but it appears that the supermarket has no plans to suspend the rollout, despite the backlash from shoppers.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said that the barriers are “one of a range of security measures” installed in a “small number of stores” but would not disclose how many it has installed in the UK.
Georgina Pellant -
19th November 2021 
