Steel City VIP supports Loneliness Awareness Week in Sheffield

A Steel City charity has given full support to a VIP visit during Loneliness Awareness Week, which ends on Sunday, June 23.
President of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, Steve Manley, with his mum Bridgett manley and 92 year-old Alma Langner (centre)President of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, Steve Manley, with his mum Bridgett manley and 92 year-old Alma Langner (centre)
President of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, Steve Manley, with his mum Bridgett manley and 92 year-old Alma Langner (centre)

 

For the past 53 years, local charity, Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care has been helping to combat loneliness among older generations in Sheffield by mobilising volunteers to visit on a regular basis for a cuppa and a chat.

President of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, Steve Manley, and his mum, Bridget, made a special visit to meet 92 year-old Alma Langner who benefits from the Good Neighbour Scheme, friendly visiting at SCCCC.

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It is estimated that 2.2million over 75’s live alone in the UK. 500,000 go for five days without seeing another person and 200,000 go for a month between social interaction (ageUK).

When SCCCC was chosen as the Sheffield Chamber's charity of the year 2018/19 Steve discovered that his mum had been a Good Neighbour Friendly visitor on the scheme back in the 1970's.

Back in those days mum Bridgett used to take little Steve along on the visits, when he was about three years-old.

This month Steve and Bridget came back to SCCCC over 40 years later and went along for a cuppa and a chat with Alma.

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Having lived in India, Alma moved to England and made a life for her family in Sheffield.

Alma, who now lives alone, has been visited for two years by volunteer, Maggie Henderson, on the Good Neighbour Scheme. They have become very good friends.

Speaking about the scheme Bridget Manley said: “It was a delight for us to spend time with Alma and Maggie. The work of SCCCC is so valued by its service users, volunteers and local health professionals, who can see the positive benefits that friendly visiting brings.”

 If you would like to volunteer an hour a week to visit an older person in your community then you can contact Sharon Saunders on 0114 2505293 or visit the website www.scccc.co.uk for further details.