Chatsworth tea party for Contact the Elderly volunteers and senior citizens

They were invited to the stately home by Lady Jasmine Cavendish, president of Contact the Elderly.

The afternoon was a celebration of the work which the charity does through its volunteers who host and drive for local groups.

In attendance at Chatsworth were older guests and volunteer drivers from Chesterfield, Doncaster and Rotherham.

“Everything Contact the Elderly does depends on volunteers” says Angela Handforth, development pfficer for Contact the Elderly in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Angela said that there was a need for more volunteers across the Derbyshire region. “Some of our groups are struggling for volunteers and we would like to see more hosts and drivers. Volunteers do not need to commit a lot of time to the charity. Regular drivers need to be available once a month and hosts can have the group over to their home just once or twice a year. We have a group in Belper which is currently looking to recruit more support”.

Contact the Elderly sets up volunteer groups in order to offer befriending through monthly tea parties on a Sunday afternoon. The charity has been in existence for more than 50 years and makes a great difference to the lives of those older guests who attend.

To find out more visit the Contact the Elderly website at: www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk or get in touch with Angela Handforth on 0114 2302343/[email protected]