Islanders have stepped forward to help one of their own as status Bermudian Winifred Dodd prepares to leave the Island.

Mrs. Dodd is having to leave Bermuda, where she has lived for 50 years, because she cannot afford to pay Bermuda's soaring rents.

received calls throughout the day yesterday from locals wanting to help Mrs. Dodd in her plight. Several simply wanted to help the 84-year-old woman, who has no family in the country, pack her belongings; while one man offered his own apartment to the elderly lady if she needed more time to settle her affairs on the Island.

And all voiced concern and fear about what the situation says about affordable housing Island-wide.

“Something has to be done,” said one woman who contacted yesterday. “I look in the paper and see $1,900 - for a studio and $2,800 for a one-bedroom. What do they expect us to do?”

Just one of the effects of the pressure to pay rent is that parents are forced to work two and three jobs to make ends meet, she said. They are therefore leaving children alone for longer periods of time - a situation which is contrary to the Island's stance on the importance of parenting, especially in light of recent legislation enforcing parental participation in public schools.

Residents have also visited Mrs. Dodd in her Pembroke apartment to help her pack, with two coming yesterday morning.

However they were only able to stay an hour, and, as Mrs. Dodd pointed out, the massive job of sorting, selling and packing 50 years worth of a life takes more than that.

Religious groups are also offering their assistance to the elderly lady, especially regarding larger jobs such as auctioning off furniture and other belongings she cannot take with her to Canada.

Originally from Canada, Mrs. Dodd arrived in Bermuda 50 years ago following the death of her husband in a car crash which nearly claimed her own life.

Now she is having to vacate the apartment she has lived in for 38 years because the rent has been increased from the original rent of ?38 per month to $1,500. “I can afford $600,” said Mrs. Dodd. With rents soaring Island-wide, Mrs. Dodd found herself unable to afford even shared accommodations. After more than half a century of living abroad she is now being forced to return to Canada, where rents are significantly lower than in Bermuda.

It was originally said in error that Mrs. Dodd will leave the Island today, January 22, however she has confirmed her leaving date is actually set for January 29. She will initially go into a hospital in Canada for some time to receive medical treatment for a litany of medical problems caused by her car accident, a stroke, and a severe fall she had in 2002.

After her time in the hospital, Mrs. Dodd hopes to find an apartment in Canada with a rent she can afford.

She has not ruled out returning to Bermuda, if she could pay her way, however.

A spokesman for the Bank of Butterfield yesterday said the bank was very sympathetic to Mrs. Dodd's case but said it had been acting on the instructions of the beneficiaries of the estate.