How kind Sun readers’ cash helped keep OAPs hit by Labour’s hated winter fuel cut warm this winter

IT was tea, sandwiches and laughs aplenty astatine a enactment to observe a caller concern offering year-round societal gatherings and applicable assistance to the elderly.

Two twelve elder citizens were guests astatine the luncheon to observe a three-year hook-up betwixt the charity Age UK — The Sun’s Christmas run spouse past twelvemonth — and homeware retailer Dunelm.

Dunelm volition enactment Age UK’s longstanding enactment combatting aged isolation by laying connected get-togethers, singalongs and workout classes arsenic good arsenic telephone proposal and relationship services.

Sun readers raised money for Age UK implicit the festive play and present Dunelm aims to footwear successful £2million from food and drink income astatine its in-store Pausa cafes, arsenic good arsenic carrier-bag sales, lawsuit donations and fundraisers.

The enactment to observe the Age UK and Dunelm hook-up was held successful the Pausa cafe of the store chain’s Leicester subdivision — and guests spoke of their gratitude.

Safe from scammers

Mary, 68, told me: “After I retired I conscionable wanted to spell backmost to work due to the fact that I was struggling to conscionable people. I wanted connection.

“Age UK has fixed maine that. I’ve made truthful galore friends. My satellite is nary longer tiny and depressing.”

Also astatine the luncheon was Nitin, 64, who is registered unsighted but supports his woman astatine location arsenic she struggles with mobility.

Nitin, who attends bingo and workout sessions astatine his section Age UK centre, added: “Age UK are precise adjuvant successful providing enactment and information.

"People tin cheque if you’ve got the close levels of insulation, counsel connected keeping harmless from scammers and more.

“The Government has stopped a batch of things truthful it’s bully to cognize we person Age UK connected our side.”

Fellow work idiosyncratic Nalini, 68, said: "I utilized to beryllium shy but present I speech to everyone, adjacent successful shops. Without Age UK, my beingness would beryllium lonely, and I’d beryllium depressed.”

The lunch-goers successful Leicester enjoyed bingo, and prizes supplied by Dunelm including blankets to homeware hampers.

Paul Farmer, CEO of Age UK said times are hard for the elderly, particularly with the nonaccomplishment of Winter Fuel Allowance.

But helium said: “Thanks to The Sun’s SOS astatine Christmas campaign we’ve been capable to radiance a light, and are doing our utmost to help.”

Dunelm’s Paul Sullivan added: “Our intent is to enactment Age UK tackling loneliness successful older radical and bringing communities together.”

• If you are an older idiosyncratic who needs help, telephone Age UK’s escaped proposal enactment connected 0800 169 6565 oregon sojourn ageuk.org.uk