A SOUTH Wales charity that supports socially isolated vulnerable people is appealing to the community to help it fund 30 new volunteers to ensure it can continue providing regular home visits to its clients throughout the year.
Age Connects Cardiff & the Vale is launching its #aNatterMatters campaign on January 16 (Blue Monday), which aims to raise £5,760 to cover the cost to recruit and train the new volunteer intake and provide weekly home visits throughout 2023.
Karen Fletcher, marketing and partnerships manager for Age Connects, said: “It’s a sad realisation that too many older people experience loneliness and often become cut off. People can become socially isolated for many reasons such as getting older or weaker, no family nearby, the death of a partner or through disability or illness.
“To coincide with Blue Monday, we’re launching this new appeal for volunteers to offer those people, plus others who may feel forgotten, a vital lifeline and keep them connected. And quite often, a simple natter and a cup of tea is all it takes.”
Pre-pandemic, the charity maintained 300 regular volunteers, however this has since fallen to 270. With demand expected to peak as the cost-of-living increases, Age Connects is appealing for new volunteers to allow it to continue its vital services.
