Scot left home for first time in five years to celebrate Christmas

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Scot who hadn't left her home in five years ventured out on Christmas Day - so she could celebrate the holiday and enjoy Christmas dinner with others.Wheelchair user Mandy Brown has no access ramp at her home, meaning it is difficult for her to come and go from the property in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire.But the 54-year-old says she "never gave up hope" after suffering mobility issues and made it out of the property to join fifty others in attending a dinner on Christmas Day at Cambuslang Parish Church, Glasgow Live reports.The free Christmas meals have been organised for the last five years by Jane Bainbridge, the founder of Lanarkshire charity Choosing A New And Positive Employment (CANAPE).

Mandy was delighted to be joining her neighbours for the meal.She said: “It will be five years in March that I hadn’t been out for.

I got out on Christmas Day for the first time and I thought I’d be nervous but I was fine.“Sometimes I feel ready for giving up, but I never gave up hope of getting back out.

It was only for a couple of hours but I just didn’t want to go back to my house.”Mandy's mobility has deteriorated over recent years after a series of health issues.