A volunteer who has been responsible for strengthening Contact the Elderly’s presence in Renfrewshire has been thanked by the charity.
Ann Arnold, of Lochwinnoch, has volunteered for Contact the Elderly for four years. She was named ‘Group Coordinator of the Year’ at the charity’s inaugural ‘thank you’ event held at Crieff Hydro.
Ann leads 20 volunteers in the area to offer a lifeline of friendship to older people who live alone.
Contact the Elderly organises free monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties. Volunteer drivers collect guests and accompany them to volunteer hosts’ homes to enjoy baking and blethering.
Photo: Group Coordinator of the Year winner Ann Arnold at the Volunteer Thank You and Awards event
Morna O’ May, Head of Service – Scotland at Contact the Elderly, said: “Ann is an inspiration to our volunteers and guests and has played a vital role in the success of the tea parties in Lochwinnoch.
“We are incredibly grateful for her determination and commitment to the charity and our guests.
“Without volunteers like Ann, we would not be able to make the difference we do for those who live alone in Lochwinnoch and throughout Scotland.”
Her commitment to the guests and volunteers alike led to her nomination from fellow volunteers. She also recently organised the first joint party for four of the region’s groups, bringing together more than 50 people. Another example of her kindness was her mid-week visit to a guest who missed a birthday tea party due to illness, bringing them a balloon and cake.
Ann said: “I was absolutely overwhelmed to receive an award.
“You can often see such a great change in guests with the tea parties. They may arrive a bit quiet but are soon animated and thoroughly enjoying themselves. That makes all the effort worthwhile. It is so rewarding.”
More than 150 of the charity’s 1400-strong network of volunteers attended the event where they enjoyed an awards ceremony hosted by Morna and Acting Chief Executive Cliff Rich before a delicious afternoon tea and harp music.
The award was sponsored by PWC.
To find out more about becoming a guest or volunteer of Contact the Elderly locally, contact janice.kerr@contact-the-elderly.org.uk or 01236 898613.