A charity has hosted a ‘Big Tea Party’ to thank local volunteers for their commitment to helping lonely older people in Sutton Coldfield.

Contact the Elderly, a UK charity dedicated to tackling loneliness and isolation among older people, provides monthly social gatherings for over 75s who live alone. The charity has been working in Sutton Coldfield for over 45 years with the first group being launched in 1972.

With five active groups in Sutton Coldfield, each group consists of 20 volunteers who help organise the monthly gatherings, as well as collecting and accompanying older guests from their home to a host’s home for a Sunday afternoon of tea, cake and conversation. Volunteer hosts welcome a small group of guests into their home once or twice a year.

All the groups came together on Sunday (14 April) at Aston Wood Golf Club bringing together over 100 volunteers and older guests to celebrate the community’s commitment to ending loneliness in the area.

The event was made possible thanks to a generous £3,000 donation by Alpro, whose employees voted overwhelmingly to support the charity. The oldest guest to attend was Lola at 97 years of age.

Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, Mayor Derrick Griffin of Sutton Coldfield and Cllr Ewan Mackey also attended.

Andrew Mitchell MP for Sutton Coldfield said: “Contact the Elderly is a superb charity that does so much to tackle and alleviate the loneliness that many people feel, particularlyamong the older folk in our community. I very much enjoyed attending the Big Tea Party forall the local groups and learning about the wonderful work that they do.”

Derrick Griffin, Mayor of Sutton Coldfield, said: “It was lovely meeting with local volunteers who selflessly give up their time every month to support Contact the Elderly in Sutton Coldfield. I’d like to thank them again for the difference they make to help end loneliness and social isolation throughout our community.”

Kath Davies, Contact the Elderly’s West Midlands Development Officer, said: “The Big Tea Party was a thank you event to recognise the contribution of our local volunteers who give their time every month to help the community of older people living in Sutton Coldfield.”

Contact the Elderly has been dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation among older people for more than 50 years and is supported by 11,000 volunteers. Last year it helped 6,223 older guests in 813 groups across the UK.

To find out more about the charity visit www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk