A CHARITY is looking for volunteers to help tackle loneliness in the county by helping at monthly tea parties.

Contact the Elderly holds the afternoon tea parties for people over 75 but need more volunteers to launch a group in Hereford.

The Campaign to End Loneliness estimates that there are 4,420 older people in Herefordshire who are lonely.

The monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups within local communities provide a regular and vital friendship link every month.

Each older guest is collected from their home by a volunteer driver and is taken to a volunteer host’s home, where they join a small group for tea, chat and companionship.

The charity needs volunteer drivers who are able to collect older guests from their homes and accompany them to the gathering each month, volunteer hosts to welcome the group into their homes for tea once or twice a year and a volunteer coordinator to help organise the monthly tea parties.

Hereford residents interested in volunteering for Contact the Elderly can contact Hannah John on 0207 881 2369 or email Hannah.john@contact-the-elderly.org.uk.