Care home teams up with Eye Volunteer Centre to tackle loneliness

Home news

Apr 13, 2016

Older people in Eye have come together to share a special afternoon tea hosted at Hartismere Place care home.

The tea was arranged by Care UK and Eye Volunteer Centre as a way to help tackle loneliness for older people in the local community.

Eye Volunteer Centre, which provides community transport and befriending services for isolated and lonely people, arranged for a group of six people to visit the care home on Sunday April 10. The group joined residents at the home in a traditional afternoon tea of finger sandwiches and homemade cakes, prepared by the Hartismere Place chef Fiona McCann. The afternoon was enjoyed so much that the care home and Eye Volunteer Centre will now be working together to make the tea parties a regular occasion for the town’s older community.

Cathryn Weed, home manager at Hartismere Place, said: “It was a lovely event and we really enjoyed welcoming new people to our home. It is so important to bring the community together, particularly those who are older and vulnerable, so we’re delighted that we could do this in partnership with Eye Volunteer Centre. We look forward to hosting the next tea party soon.” 

Gill Watson, manager at Eye Volunteer Centre, said: “Today has been lovely, very enjoyable, and there has been a real buzz. It has been a lovely afternoon for the Eye Volunteer Centre guests and volunteers, as well for the care home residents. It is wonderful that Hartismere Place is welcoming people in from the community, we’d like to thank the home for inviting us and for the delicious afternoon tea.”

Eye Volunteer Centre arranges tea parties once a month at local venues, now including Hartismere Place, as well as providing community transport for isolated people. For more information about becoming a tea party host for Eye Volunteer Centre, or becoming a volunteer driver, please call Gill Watson on 01379 871020.