Who we are and what we need

Contact the Elderly is a national charity founded in 1965. Our aim is to relieve loneliness amongst elderly people by creating small groups of volunteer drivers and hosts who organise outings for Sunday afternoon tea once a month at a host’s home. Our FREE service brings companionship to desperately isolated people over 70 who live alone with little support. Our groups are kept small and friendly so everyone can chat easily together. We want to maintain our groups in The West Country AND create new ones. So here’s how you could help. We need to find: Drivers with their own cars who can spare a Sunday afternoon once a month to collect one or two elderly guests and join them for tea. Hosts who are willing to invite a group to their homes for tea just once a year, although some find they enjoy entertaining more often. Since many of the elderly have difficulty with stairs, a downstairs toilet is essential. Group Coordinators are usually volunteer drivers who organise the monthly outings. They can also be the anchor person who creates the group from scratch. A Step-by-Step Guide on creating a group is available.