GOOD company, a good old chat and afternoon tea. What better way is there to spend a Sunday afternon?

And this is exactly what a little-known charity Contact The Elderly offers to elderly people who find it difficult to get out and about on their own.

Contact the Elderly offers a lifeline of friendship to thousands of old people across the country and the charity is now operating in Malvern, helping elderly people to get out and make friends.

The charity is based on a very simple idea - it holds monthly tea parties. One Sunday afternoon a month each local group meets up for tea, cake and company. Hosts take it in turn to welcome elderly members into their homes for a few hours and volunteer drivers make sure they are collected on time and driven home safely at the end of the afternoon. It is all free.

Local organiser Liz Daniels said that many elderly people did not get out much, often because of mobility problems.

“Some people aren’t able to drive and many have sight, hearing or physical mobility problems,” explained LIz, adding that this often meant being housebound, particularly if their families lived a long distance away.

“There can be lots of reasons people are on their own. They may have lost their husband or wife, their family may be overseas or living on the other side of the country,” she said.

Local groups are kept small so that everyone can get to know each other. Members and volunteers make lasting friendships and spend the afternoons laughing and enjoying each other’s stories. And of course everyone gets plenty of tea and sandwiches.

“The whole point is for people to get out and enjoy themselves,” said Liz.

Liz joined the charity as a volunteer organiser more than a year ago and the monthly tea parties are now up and running. The charity had wanted to start a group in Malvern for some time and when Liz moved to Malvern she was looking to do some voluntary work.

“To start with there was just me and one driver,” explained LIz. But since an appeal in the Gazette and the help of Community Action the word has spread and more volunteer hosts and drivers have come forward.

As an elderly person the only real criteria for membership of the group is a desire to get out and meet people and enjoy other peoples’ company. People should also be over 75 and capable of getting into a car.

Hosts can be anyone willing to welcome the group into their home and provide tea and cakes and seating for 8-10 people. With lots of volunteers the commitment is to host an afternoon tea once or twice a year. The group includes hosts who are retired themselves and a young mum with small children.

“Our members really look forward to coming along. They like to meet people and they love to talk,” said Liz. The group currently has an old lady in her nineties and an elderly gentleman who is registered blind.

“They all have such interesting stories to tell and love to talk.

“It is a drop in the ocean but it is something to look forward to, something to get dressed up for. It is a time to be with other people instead of alone and that is so important.”

The group is still quite new and would welcome an extra volunteer driver and a couple more hosts. There is also space for another three or four elderly members.

If anyone is interested in joining the Malvern Contact the Elderly group or knows an elderly person who would benefit from regular outings with friends they can contact Liz Daniels on 01684 540904.