Contact the Elderly wants to expand its service across Scotland to reach 1,000 older Scots at risk of loneliness
A charity wants to offer a “friendship lifeline” to 1,000 older people who live alone in Scotland within the next year.
Contact the Elderly organises free monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties in cities, towns and villages from the Borders to the Highlands.
It currently has 126 groups serving 860 older people but now wants to increase this to 890 groups serving 1,000.
For this the charity requires 250 additional volunteers.
Morna O’ May, head of service at Contact the Elderly, said: “In the past year, we have welcomed more than 20 tea parties and while we are immensely proud of what we, and our volunteers, have achieved we know there are so many more people who would benefit from an afternoon of baking and a blether once a month.
“With the goal of reaching 1,000 older guests in the coming year, we are committed to working tirelessly to reach out to those living alone in communities throughout Scotland and finding volunteers who want to make a big impact with a small time commitment.
“Our parties are beloved by volunteers and guests alike and true friendships are quickly formed. We hear each and every week how much the afternoons mean to everyone involved.”
There are currently plans to develop groups nationwide with development underway in Tealing, Hawick, Blairgowrie, Perth, Stirling, Falkirk and Alloa. It will also be launching more groups in areas which already have Contact the Elderly tea parties taking place throughout the country.
A volunteer driver collects one or two older people and accompanies them to a volunteer host’s home.
A host will welcome a group of between six and eight people once or twice a year.
Find out more about volunteering at Contact the Elderly.
