9:40am Tuesday 19th January 2010
By Mike Didymus
A 63-year-old woman trudged miles through snow to make sure vulnerable old people were safe during the recent big freeze.
Phyllis Croasdale set off at 3.30am to make sure she reached her Careline job in central Croydon by 6am, abandoning her car in the drive of her Upper Norwood home when it failed to start.
She said: "I got up at 3.30am because I was not sure what the weather was going to be like, I started walking at 4.30am.
"It was absolutely lovely outside, all the lights sparkling in the snow were beautiful."
Mrs Croasdale’s team made telephone calls to old and vulnerable people throughout Croydon during the cold weather to make they were coping with the snow.
Staff decided to make the personal calls after growing national concern about how the prolonged freezing temperatures were affecting the vulnerable.
Dudley Mead, the Croydon Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “The cold weather has had an impact on everybody’s lives, not least the residents who rely heavily on organisations like the council for help.
“The staff who took it upon themselves to call these people are a credit to the council and Croydon.
“It’s this type of action that reminds us all what public service is all about.”
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