Tea time will help lonely OAPS

Dear Editor

One in five older people in the UK are in contact with friends, family and neighbours less than once a week, while for one in 10, it’s less than once a month.

Here at Independent Age, the older people’s charity, we are trying to change that, and we need help from residents in Scotland.

From October 1 to 8, we are inviting everyone in Scotland to join us in hosting a Big Tea event, raising vital funds to help end loneliness and enabling us to provide even better information, advice and support for older people and their families.

A Big Tea event could be anything from a simple cake sale to a big tea party involving the whole community.

You could even bring treats into school or work and ask for a small donation.

Raising just £50 will help us provide a day’s training for a volunteer to support a lonely older person – every penny really does make a difference and you don’t need to raise a minimum amount to take part.

Independent Age offers regular contact, a strong campaigning voice and free, impartial advice on the issues that matter to older people: care and support, money and benefits, health and mobility.

We are independent so older people can be too.

It’s really easy to take part in the Big Tea - just sign up at www.independentage.org/big-tea-press or call 020 7605 4288 to receive your free fundraising pack and help us make a difference to older people’s lives.

Gillian Claugher Associate Director for Fundraising, Independent Age