Ever thought of hosting a tea party for the elderly?
The UK's ageing population is causing a loneliness crisis, with an average of one chronically lonely older person in every UK postcode, according to charity Contact the Elderly. To help tackle the problem, the charity organises tea parties around the country - we have sent Ferne McCann to one in her home county of Essex this morning to see what a difference a cup of tea can make.
Contact the Elderly
Call Freephone: 0800 716543
Contact the Elderly is the only national charity solely dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation among older people. We aim to do this by organising monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups of older people (aged 75+) who live alone, and volunteers within their local community, offering a regular and vital friendship link every month. Each older person is collected from their home by a volunteer driver and taken to a volunteer host’s home for the afternoon. The group is warmly welcomed by a different host each month, but the drivers remain the same which means that over the months and years, acquaintances turn into friends and loneliness is replaced by companionship. Our tea parties are a real lifeline of friendship for our older members who have little or no contact with any family or friends. They bring people of all ages together, develop fulfilling friendships and support networks, and give everyone involved something to look forward to each month.