Military veterans aged 95 and 73 no longer face spending Christmas Day alone after agreeing to form Covid bubble to enjoy festivities together

Two military veterans who faced spending Christmas on their own have agreed to form a Covid support bubble so they can enjoy the festivities together.      

Ian Thomas, 73, and Dougie Shelley, 95, from Southend, Essex, were both going to be by themselves on Christmas Day as neither have any family nearby.

The Armed Forces charity SSFA found out that the veterans were isolating alone and suggested they formed a bubble. 

Ian Thomas, 73, and Dougie Shelley, 95, from Southend, Essex, were both going to be by themselves on Christmas Day as neither have any family nearby

The pair, who have struck up a a friendship over the last five years, will now spend Christmas at Dougie's home. 

Divisional secretary of SSAFA Southend Chel Turner-Everett said: 'Ian mentioned that he was going to be on his own at Christmas.

'So I spoke to Dougie, who I already knew was also going to be on his own, and I said to them: 'Why don't you spend the day together and I'll organise the lunch for you?' 

Dougie , who sailed in the arctic convoys in the Royal Navy in World War II and Ian aged 23 in Oman

The pair, who have struck up a a friendship over the last five years, will now spend Christmas at Dougie's home

Ian, who served as a captain in the Army, walked a three-mile round trip every week during the second lockdown to take Dougie his pension money and food shopping.

He said: 'Dougie is fantastic. He loves chatting away, and he's always fun to listen to.

'He mostly talks about the past, but he always has a new story to tell, or a new joke to share.

'We've become very good friends over the last few years, I've got to know him quite well.'   

Ian added: 'If I was on my own like I usually am I'd probably just have a sandwich or something for lunch on the day.

Ian, who served as a captain in the Army, walked a three-mile round trip every week during the second lockdown to take Dougie his pension money and food shopping. Pictured: Ian and Dougie on the remembrance day in London in 2019 

'It'll be good for us both to have some company.I f the weather is dry on the day, I'll walk over so I can enjoy a couple of drinks with him, too.'

Meanwhile Dougie, who sailed in the arctic convoys in the Royal Navy in World War II, has no remaining family and has been on his own since his wife died 18 years ago.   

He said: 'It will be really nice to have a proper Christmas dinner with someone - all the rest of the Christmases I've been on my own.

Dougie in 2010 and Ian aged 23 in 1967 . The Armed Forces charity SSFA found out that the veterans were isolating alone and suggested they formed a bubble

'It makes a lot of difference when you have someone to talk to.

'I don't see a lot of people - Ian and Chel from SSAFA come round and bring me my pension and my shopping, and then I have a carer and a cleaner come once a week.

'I don't know what I would do without them. Ian is on his own too so it will be nice for both of us.'

Father-of-for Ian has two sons who live in the UK but one is 'seriously ill' with cancer so he will not be able to see them this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.     

Ian Thomas taken in Northern Ireland 1974. Speaking about Christmas, Ian said: 'It'll be good for us both to have some company.I f the weather is dry on the day, I'll walk over so I can enjoy a couple of drinks with him, too'

Speaking about the Christmas plans, Chel added: 'They feel a lot better. It's not a day that you really want to be on your own. They've known each other for about four to five years so they're becoming friends.

'Ian looks after Dougie during the lockdown. He will go out and do the shopping for him and if he needs anything Ian will make sure Dougie has got it.

'Ian's family isn't local. He's got a daughter in New Zealand, a son in Oxford and another son in Singapore so he hasn't got much family over here.'  

Chel has organised for a Christmas dinner to be delivered to Dougie's home from Glenwood Café in Westcliff.

She said: 'We're going to make sure they've got a drink each for the day so they can celebrate Christmas properly and make sure they've got Christmas crackers and everything.

'It seemed to me a very simple solution for two isolated people to put them together.

'We look after our veterans all through their lives. That's what Christmas is all about, spending it with people you care about.'