A charity which tackles loneliness in elderly people has launched a second tea party group in Chelmsford. 

Contact the Elderly has set up the second group for people aged 75 and over to provide a regular and vital friendship link every month. 

The charity is now urgently appealing for volunteers to help by sparing just a few hours each month to help with the running of local tea parties – and enjoy a cuppa and cake themselves!

The charity aims to relieve the loneliness of isolated older people who live alone, by organising monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups within local communities.

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.

To help the new group in Chelmsford to flourish, Contact the Elderly is looking for volunteer drivers who are able to collect older guests from their homes and accompany them to the tea party each month and volunteer hosts to welcome the group into their homes for tea once or twice a year.

Contact the Elderly’s East Anglia Development Officer, Katy Szita, said: “We’re delighted to have opened a second group in Chelmsford and to ensure these tea parties are as successful as others held across the UK, we urgently need the support of the local community.

"Anyone who can spare a couple of hours one Sunday a month, has a driving licence, a car and loves drinking tea is eligible!

"And for those interested in becoming a host, it would just involve a couple of hours once or twice a year.

"It’s not a big commitment, and our volunteers genuinely get as much out of the experience as our older guests so I’d encourage anyone interested in giving something back to their community to please get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

Chelmsford residents interested in volunteering for Contact the Elderly once a month as a driver, or twice a year as a host, can contact Katy Szita, East Anglia Development Officer on 0208 530 0494 or email katy.szita@contact-the-elderly.org.uk