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No Brainer teams up with community programme to host tea party for older people

Generations of storytellers came together with Warrington-based PR agency as part of programme created by Reengage, a charity which aims to bring older people into social groups to help combat loneliness.

Staff from Warrington-based PR, social media and content marketing agency No Brainer hosted a special tea party for a local charity which helps older people stay connected with their local community.

Re-engage (formerly Contact the Elderly), is a charity that works with older people aged 75 and over struggling with loneliness, providing social activities and groups to help them form new friendships and prevent isolation.

A team of 13 staff at No Brainer welcomed the group of six older ladies, along with volunteers, for an afternoon of tea, cake and chat.

The tea party took place just underneath the No Brainer offices at Second City Coffee on Wilderspool Business Park, with refreshments supplied for free by the popular coffee shop.

The group from Re-engage included Jean, who last year celebrated her 100th birthday, as well as 85-year-old Annette who worked as a midwife in Liverpool before she retired.

Over the last 20 years, the number of people in the UK aged over 75 who live alone has risen to 2.2 million. Re-engage is the only charity that is solely committed to tackling loneliness in older people over-75, with the aim of providing means to long-lasting friendship and renewed support networks.

Gwen Lightfoot, Support Officer at Re-engage, said: “All too often, feelings of isolation and loneliness are the reality for older people with nearly half relying on the TV as their main source of company.

“Over 1.4 million older people in the UK suffer from loneliness with half a million of them going five or six days without seeing or speaking to anyone. Research has shown that social isolation can have huge mental health and physical health implication with people living alone significantly more likely to visit their GP or attend A&E.

“That’s why it’s so important for businesses like No Brainer to offer their support and get behind our mission. The ladies who attended thoroughly enjoyed meeting the No Brainer team and were thrilled to be served afternoon tea.

“Some great stories were shared and memories were made, over some good old-fashioned tea and cake and we are very grateful to the team for giving up their afternoon to spend some time with one of our groups.”

Mel Phillips, Head of Operations at No Brainer said: “As the ageing population continues to grow, so does the importance of charities like Reengage.

“It was our absolute pleasure to welcome Jean, Annette, Joan, Edith, Jean and the Reengage volunteers to No Brainer HQ. I know the team loved taking some time out of their day to listen to the many stories the group had to share – it’s definitely an experience we’ll now treasure and hope to repeat in the future.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Andy Colman .