Sean Connery beats the Queen as the person Scots would like to have a cuppa with

Home news

Mar 01, 2013

More Scots would like to share a hot cuppa with Sean Connery over royal newcomer Kate Middleton or The Queen, a new survey commissioned by Care UK has revealed.

The independent survey into the UK’s tea-drinking habits found the world famous actor topped the poll as the celebrity most people in Scotland would want to share a cuppa with.

The survey comes as the nation prepares to enjoy plenty of hot drinks during Dementia UK’s Time for a Cuppa week, from March 1 to 8.

The week, held to raise funds for Dementia UK, will see Care UK’s Scottish care homes and day centres inviting visitors to join them for a brew to raise funds for the charity.

Activities such as cake sales, competitions and raffles will all be held at homes around the country. There will also be the opportunity to meet some of Care UK’s expert care teams and find out more about caring for a loved one living with dementia.

The survey, carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Care UK, a leading provider of health and social care services, found that coffee is now the most popular cuppa in Scotland, with more than 49% of adults choosing it as their favourite hot drink and 80% saying they like to dunk a biscuit in their cuppa – whilst nearly 2% of respondents admitted dunking a banana.

Over a good old fashioned cuppa is also the nation’s favourite way to share family news and reminisce about happy times, with 80% of people saying they would prefer to hear news over a cuppa than by email or Facebook.

As well as Sean Connery, big names such as Sir Winston Churchill and The Queen were all popular choices to share a cuppa with.

But no celebrity scored as highly with the over 55s than their children when it comes to their cuppa companion of choice – with 51% of UK adults saying they would choose their children from within their own circle of family and friends.

And it seems the feeling is mutual amongst the younger generation too, with the majority of 18-44 year olds choosing to have a cuppa with their parents over meeting up with friends.

Sharing family news is the most popular way people spend their tea breaks together, with nearly 75% choosing it as their conversation of choice, followed by 42% saying they liked to talk about happy memories.

The traditional cuppa also plays a more serious role in people’s lives, with more than 60% of Scots people saying they had shared a major piece of news with a friend or relative over a cuppa.

Maizie Mears-Owen, Care UK’s Head of Dementia Care said:

“The survey results show the importance of spending time with loved ones over something as simple as a cuppa.

“Spending time with a loved one who has dementia doesn’t have to mean doing anything elaborate, simply taking time to talk, share memories and be together is a great tonic in itself and we are always keen to find ways to ensure families can spend quality time together.

“We will be encouraging family members and friends to come into our homes, visit a loved one and take time for a cuppa throughout the coming week – and now we know what keen dunkers the British are too, there’ll be plenty of biscuits on offer as well!”

Dementia UK is a charity that works to improve the quality of life for all people affected by dementia, from those living with the condition to the family who support them.

The charity provides specialist support through its Admiral Nurses who help provide practical advice and information to family carers of all ages and backgrounds.