Dec
Students create Christmas cards for Contact the Elderly
20 handmade Christmas cards created by students are to be sent out to Contact the Elderly, a national charity dedicated to tackling loneliness amongst older people living in the UK.
Contact the elderly estimate that 3.6 million older people in the UK live alone, with 2 million of these aged 75 or older. 1.9 million older people have said they often feel ignored or invisible, and two fifths of all older people say that the television is their main source of company.
Students from WSA did their part to help tackle loneliness and social isolation amongst older people by holding the card-making workshop and writing messages with a little bit about themselves in the cards to spread some Christmas cheer.
“Just a simple act of receiving a card can make a difference”
Cliff Rich, Deputy Chief Executive at Contact the Elderly, said: “We were delighted to receive the Christmas cards from the students at the University of Southampton and we know that our older guests will be too. Christmas can be one of the loneliest times of the year, especially for older or vulnerable people who live alone. Just a simple act of receiving a card can make a difference. We’d like to thank all of the students who got involved for their great support.”
The cards will now be sent to Contact the Elderly who will distribute them to some of their guests at their December tea parties.
You can find out more info about Contact the Elderly by clicking here.
Tags: charity, Christmas, volunteering, WSA, WSA students