Appeal to Horsham district residents to host a party for the elderly

Volunteers needed for Contact the Elderly's new party group for older people in Horsham SUS-151124-163416001 SUS-151124-163416001

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A new group aimed at helping lonely people aged 75 and over in the Horsham district is being created.

And charity, Contact the Elderly, is looking for volunteer hosts to welcome the group into their homes for tea once or twice a year.

The new tea party will look to provide a regular and vital friendship link every month.

To help support the newly founded group, the charity is urgently appealing for volunteers in the local community to help by sparing just a few hours each month to help with the running of local tea parties – and enjoy a cuppa and cake themselves.

The charity aims to relieve the loneliness of isolated older people who live alone, by organising the monthly Sunday afternoon mettings for small groups within local communities.

Each older guest is collected from their home by a volunteer driver, and is taken to a volunteer host’s home where they join a small group for tea, chat and companionship.

Contact the Elderly’s regional development officer, Julia Rivas, said: “We’re delighted to be opening a new group in Horsham and to ensure these tea parties are as successful as others held across the UK, we urgently need the support of the local community.

“It’s not a big commitment, and our volunteers genuinely get as much out of the experience as our older guests, so I’d encourage anyone interested in giving something back to their community to please get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

Horsham residents who are interested can contact Julia Rivas, regional development officer – Surrey, West and East Sussex on 01273 401569 or email [email protected]

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