The charity, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary on April 19th this year, works to tackle loneliness amongst people aged 75 and over who live alone in England, Scotland and Wales.

Currently providing more than 54,000 social opportunities for isolated older people per annum across 565 groups, Contact the Elderly provides regular face-to-face contact via 7,400 volunteers. By running monthly local tea parties, volunteers are able to reach older people who are isolated, and provide the much-needed contact they need to make new friendships with other local older people and younger volunteers.

With older people in Birmingham already being helped by the Contact the Elderly’s Sunday tea parties, the charity is now appealing for more volunteers and local funding to access older people, many of whom do not have regular face-to-face contact with anyone other than their carer and the postman.

Sparkbrook & Small Heath MP Roger Godsiff said: “Contact the Elderly is doing brilliant work in Birmingham Green Hall, supporting isolated older people. I am proud to support the charity in its mission to help end loneliness in older people. It is incredible the difference a monthly tea party can make to someone’s life.

“As well as benefitting older constituents, volunteering with charities such as Contact the Elderly, can bring younger generations a great sense of pride where you can see first-hand the good you are doing for a fellow neighbour.”