CONTACT the Elderly, the only charity solely dedicated to tackling loneliness and isolation among older people, is appealing for Ealing volunteers to spare a few hours each month to help run tea parties – and enjoy a cuppa and a cake themselves.

The charity aims to relieve the acute loneliness of isolated older people, aged 75 and above, who live alone, by organising monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups within communities – thus providing a regular and vital friendship link every month.

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.

The charity is hoping to set up a new group in Ealing but is currently struggling to recruit volunteer drivers able to collect older guests and accompany them to the gathering and a volunteer coordinator to help organise the monthly tea parties.

Jane Vasudevan, of Contact the Elderly, said: “The charity is committed to offering a lifeline of friendship to the oldest and loneliest people, but our hopes of extending this lifeline to even more older people in Ealing are currently fading due to a real shortage of volunteers in the area.

“Anyone who can spare a couple of hours one Sunday a month, has a driving licence, a car and a capacity for drinking tea, is eligible!

“And, for those interested in becoming a host, it would just involve a couple of hours once or twice a year. It’s not a big commitment, and our volunteers genuinely get as much out of the experience as our older guests.”

Ealing people interested in volunteering can contact Jane on 020 7240 0630 or email jane.vasudevan@contact-the-elderly.org.uk