Christian Church, Christian faith, community outreach, older people,
Wednesday 4th March 2015
A group of 25 Peckham seniors took advantage of an opportunity to learn more about keeping warm and well in winter last Saturday (28 February), and discovered that one of the secrets is to avoid isolation.
Their ‘schoolroom’ was the UCKG HelpCentre at 176 Rye Lane, Peckham. Their host was the HelpCentre’s local Caleb group for older people. The occasion was an informal lunchtime gathering, with a briefing on winter healthcare kindly sponsored by Age UK, Lewisham and Southwark as part of its Well and Warm programme.
The HelpCentre’s youth group, VYG, provided the entertainment, and many of the seniors who came along added to the fun by turning up in cultural attire.
Claire Gaulier, a community representative from Age UK, Lewisham and Southwark explained that her organisation funded this important programme because many seniors can be isolated, especially in winter, and this can contribute to increased mortality. Events like this enable Age UK to access people it wouldn’t normally come into contact with, and can result in home visits for those who are unable to attend its centres.
Those who came along to Well and Warm at the UCKG HelpCentre – from Tola Kadiri, leader of the Caleb group in Peckham to local resident Rosemary Nagebri and the UCKG HelpCentre’s community outreach coordinator Kim Powell – unanimously agreed that the event was highly informative.
Both Rosemary and Kim noted that the information about maintaining the correct room temperatures on cold days was useful, having not known about it before. Rosemary went on to say that she valued the access to information about support for older people that doesn’t always come her way.
Tola added that: “It was such a great opportunity to collaborate with Age UK Lewisham and Southwark… bringing this much needed information to the seniors in the community is something that needs to happen more often.”
The event certainly went some way to meeting seniors’ needs for social interaction and staving off isolation last Saturday.
ENDS
Notes to editors
UCKG is a Christian church and registered charity that offers a range of practical support activities alongside spiritual support and comfort and welcomes all-comers. It reached the UK in 1995 and has gone from strength to strength, providing support and spreading the Christian faith. There are UCKG HelpCentre branches in England and Wales.
The UCKG HelpCentre’s community outreach groups include Caleb for anyone over 55, seeking companionship, support or both.
The Victory Youth Group (VYG), for 15 – 25 year olds, helps and encourages the young to be the best that they can be. Its members help others through a variety of outreach activities.
For further information please contact the UCKG HelpCentre Press Officer via e-mail on press@uckgnew.org or direct line 020 7686 6033.
