Age UK Offers Christmas Events
Age UK are offering events around Christmas to combat the loneliness felt by thousands of elderly across the county.
Age UK recently stole the limelight with their christmas advert appeal, documenting the repetitive and lonely life of an elderly gentleman named 'John' throughout the year. It delivered an important message on the effects of isolation and the importance of interaction and socialisation.
Christmas can be a lonely time of year for those in the community without close family or friends or with mobility issues which limit their ability to leave the house. Thousands of elderly people across Suffolk report feeling lonely, some not even speaking with another person for days or weeks on end, something which Basepoint Ipswich Centre Charity- Age UK Suffolk, are trying to change.
This weekend the charity will be holding a Christmas Afternoon Tea at Kesgrave Community Centre in Ipswich with the hope of encouraging people to come along, bring their parents, their grandparents and provide an afternoon of fun and socialisation which is so important to the mental wellbeing of a person.
Centre Manager Alison Morrissey will be volunteering her time at the event, assisting in serving refreshments and helping ensure the event runs smoothly.
"It is vital we understand the impact that lonleliness and social isolation has on the elderly in our community" explained Alison, "events like these provide warm, safe environments for families to come together and spend some time with the older members of their family, or for new friendships to be forged between those attending."
If you would like more information on the event, call 01473 298688 or email fundraising@ageuksuffolk.org.