Olive Cooke's granddaughter talks exclusively to TM
I want to make it quite clear that the family, in no way, feel that charities were responsible
92 year old poppy seller Olive Cooke took her own life in May after suffering from insomnia and depression. She supported numerous charities and at one point, received 267 charity letters in one month - leading to the suggestions that the pressure pushed her to the brink.
Olive's granddaughter Jessica believes her nan's death has been incorrectly blamed on the charities and so called cold callers. She said, "She had received a lot and they were certainly a nuisance and certainly an irritation but in the grand scheme of things [they weren't to blame]"
Jessica and the family believe that Olive's real suffering was loneliness. She said, "I don't want my nan to be remembered as a victim... she was a real strong, courageous, determined woman." Jessica and the family want to highlight the issue of isolation in older people and to get people talking about loneliness and depression.
Denise Robertson joins her on the sofa to talk about isolation amongst the elderly.