VILLAGERS enjoyed a ‘fantastic’ Silver Sunday afternoon aimed at bringing the community together.
About 35 residents attended the special afternoon tea organised by
Chelford Together, a voluntary organisation which seeks to reduce social isolation and loneliness, particularly in older people.
The tea was held to celebrate Silver Sunday, which was launched in 2012 by The Sir Simon Milton Foundation and Westminster City councillor Christabel Flight, after a report discovered more than a third of people over 75 said they were lonely.
The aim was to celebrate older residents, recognise their contribution to their communities and help them get out and about to meet new people.
Silver Sunday 2012 was a great success, with more than 2,000 people taking part in 19 events in Westminster alone.
The following year the success in Westminster encouraged Silver Sunday to encourage others nationally to get involved, and the event grew significantly, with 150 events being held across the country.
Residents at the afternoon tea
Every year since has seen an increase in the number of events, and in 2018 there were 1,000 events attended by 50,000 older people participating in events as varied as walking football, art classes, tea parties, dances, tai chi, boat rides and cultural experiences.
The afternoon tea was held in Chelford Community Hub, and was organised by volunteers, whether they were making sandwiches, cake, trifles or helping serve the meal to 35 people.
Nigel Jehan, chairman of Chelford Community Hub, said: “This is exactly what our great community facility is about, bringing people together and creating a caring, compassionate and vibrant community. It was a pleasure to see so many smiling faces.”
Shirley Marshall, 84, who lives in Chelford, was one of the residents who came along.
She said: “It was a fantastic afternoon of people getting together, to chat, have fun and enjoy good food.
“The Hub is a lifeline to many here, and gets people out of their homes. It certainly makes a difference to my life.”
Plans are under way for Silver Sunday 2020, hopefully with a larger event, or a series of events throughout Chelford.
David Kent, secretary of Chelford Together, said: “We are always looking for volunteers to help us, and in particular are looking for young people to help us with our aims.”
For further information on Chelford Together or Chelford Community Hub contact David at mikeanddavid31@gmail.com or call 01625 861038.
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