Meet Marion & Michelle
Michelle is in her mid 30s and lives in Chelsea, London. She is originally from the US.
She signed up online at the beginning of the pandemic and started speaking with her adopted grandma, Marion, in March 2020.
She wanted to adopt a grandma as she has no family in the UK, no grandparents of her own and wanted to help people who were vulnerable and living in isolation.
Michelle is a trained chef and runs a bakery in London. She had to shut her business during the pandemic, and so she dedicated much of her time volunteering with a local charity, taking food and essentials to vulnerable people in her local community.
Marion joined the programme as she loves to socialise and missed being able to see her friends and family.
Marion is in in her early 70s and has no grandchildren of her own.
She was very active in her local community in Haslemere, Surrey, where she frequently volunteered at the local soup kitchen and is the hydration champion at her nursing home, Brownscombe House.
They continue to speak as often as they can via video call. Their common interests include gardening and baking, and Michelle frequently sends Marion recipes.
