Maria Maher
WJ South
Office Manager
Maria is a Thinking Community Champion. and has taken this role to heart, successfully delivering social values in her local area
During the pandemic Maria Maher recognised the loneliness people were suffering and pushed forward an initiative to set up Telephone Buddies.
Through this programme, WJ staff contact local elderly people who may be isolated, living on their own and suffering from loneliness.
The scheme has brought happiness to the people receiving regular calls which they value and look forward to this much needed contact. But it has also enriched the lives of the WJ employees who are taking part, all of whom have acknowledged the great sense of wellbeing they get from being involved in giving something back to the local community.
This wonderful programme has all been as a result of Maria’s hard work and dedication.
Maria was also selected for the special recognition awards by our own Safer Highways Chairman Martin Worthington. Martin said “It is a generally accepted opinion that loneliness is one of society’s hidden diseases which results in a decline of well-being and has an adverse effect on mental and physical health, particularly in the elderly.
Maria Maher has made it her mission to raise awareness, encourage wider discussions, reduce interventions and improve understanding of this debilitating condition.”