Volunteer scheme launched to help isolated elderly people (From Haringey Independent)

Volunteer scheme launched to help isolated elderly people in Tottenham

1:25pm Monday 29th October 2012 in News By Bruce Thain

A new scheme to support isolated elderly people is calling for people to volunteer.

National charity Contact the Elderly, has teamed up with churches in Tottenham, as part of the Diocese of Westminster, to help tackle loneliness among older people living in the area.

With the new scheme the charity hopes to widen its reach and attract more volunteers from Tottenham to start a new support group.

One Sunday a month elderly guests will be collected from their homes by a volunteer driver and take to small tea party with others at a helpers home.

Keith Arscott from Contact the Elderly said: “We are pleased to be working with Caritas, Diocese of Westminster to bring the wider community together.

“With our rapidly ageing population, the issue of loneliness and social isolation among older people is only set to grow worse.”

The charity is calling for volunteers to take part in the scheme and anyone interested in being a driver or offering their home to host a tea party are welcome to help.

The churches involved in the scheme are St Frances de Sales in High Road, Tottenham, St John Vianney Catholic Church, in Vincent Road and St Ignatius Catholic Church Stamford Hill also in High Road.

Those interested in volunteering in the scheme can contact cliff.rich@contact-the-elderly.org.uk.