A NATIONAL charity tackling loneliness among older people is desperately appealing for volunteers for its Penarth branch.

Contact the Elderly's Penarth branch is threatened with being closed down unless more volunteers come forward to attend its monthly meetings.

The Penarth branch of the national charity, which is dedicated to tackling loneliness and isolation among older people, is now inviting local residents to join its monthly tea parties and enjoy a few hours of tea, chat and good company.

The group in Penarth has space for a number of new guests to join and the charity is keen to raise awareness of these openings among the local community.

Contact the Elderly, with the support of thousands of volunteers all across the UK, organises monthly tea parties for small groups of older people, aged 75 and above, who live alone and would like some company on a Sunday afternoon.

Each guest is collected from their home by a volunteer driver and taken to a volunteer host’s home, where they meet with a small group for tea, chat and friendship. The group is welcomed by a different host each month, but the drivers remain the same which means that over the months and years, acquaintances turn into friends and loneliness is replaced by companionship.

Contact the Elderly’s Wales development officer, Sian Llewellyn, said: “For older people who live alone, Sundays can be particularly long and difficult. These tea parties give people a chance to get together with others, make new friends, eat delicious cakes and enjoy a cup of tea. The monthly events make a real difference to the lives of those in the group and we would encourage anyone interested in coming along, or those who know of people to whom it might appeal, to get in touch.”

Penarth residents, aged 75 and above, who live alone without the support of family and friends, and are interested in joining the Penarth Contact the Elderly group can contact Sian Llewellyn, Wales Development Oficer, on 01597 822351or email sian.llewellyn@contact-the-elderly.org.uk