Contact the Elderly marks 20 years of helping island elderly

A charity that offers tea, cake and, most importantly, companionship to older people is celebrating 20 years of parties in Arran.

Contact the Elderly’s local group recently raised a cup of tea to celebrate the milestone which has given scores of local older people who live alone the opportunity to enjoy a vital lifeline of friendship since 1996.

Maureen Dockerty, 69, has been the group’s co-ordinator for five years. She said: ‘I previously worked in social services and have always loved being around people. I also thought that a monthly commitment was more than manageable.

‘Every time we meet, the guests, volunteers and I certainly have a great time.

‘There is never a lull in conversation, even for a minute, and we have the loveliest hostesses who always put on such a nice spread.

‘One hostess plays the piano and another the guitar so we are fortunate to quite often get a sing-a-long at our tea parties too.’

Once a month on a Sun- day a volunteer host welcomes a group of six to eight people into their home, laying on afternoon tea and a warm atmosphere. A host’s home must have no more than a few steps to enter and a downstairs toilet.

A volunteer driver collects one or two guests once a month and joins them at the party before returning them safely home.

Caroline McGinlay, Scotland volunteer support officer at Contact the Elderly, said: ‘This is an incredible achievement for the Arran group and I would like to congratulate them on their ongoing success.’

Contact the Elderly has more than 100 groups across Scotland, with new ones forming every month. To find out more about volunteering or becoming a guest of Contact the Elderly, Caroline McGinlay on 0141 812 1555 or caroline. mcginlay@contact-theelderly.org.uk.