A CHARITY dedicated to tackling loneliness and isolation amongst the elderly is urgently appealing for volunteers living in Redditch and Bromsgrove.

Contact the Elderly needs people to spare a few hours each month to help organise monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups of people, aged 75 and over, in their local community.

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, providing a regular and vital friendship link every month.

West Midlands Development Officer, Kath Davies, said: "We know that there are many older people who find it difficult to leave the house, have no friends or family nearby and can go for long periods of time without talking to anyone.

"We currently have five groups in the Redditch and Bromsgrove area with guests on a waiting list for a space in a group."

The charity is looking for coordinators to help organise the monthly tea parties, hosts to welcome a group into their home for a tea party once or twice a year, and drivers with a car who can collect older guests and take them to the parties.

Call Alan Wodzynski on 07956 301299 or email kath.davies@contact-the-elderly.org.uk if you can help.