The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has praised a small group from Abercarn which has raised £8,000 for local charities through its monthly coffee mornings.
Sarah Rochira’s team recently joined 20 members of The Crown and Abercarn Support Group, which has raised the impressive figure in less than four years.
Mrs Rochira said: “The 800,000 people in Wales who are aged over 60 make a huge contribution to the Welsh economy each year through continued work and paying taxes, volunteering and childcare, which is worth £1 billion.
“On top of this, older people’s organisations give significant support to their local communities through donations and organising fundraisers. The Crown and Abercarn Support Group, for example, has raised a hugely impressive amount that has helped many people.”
Group members first met up in 2010 after organising an event for Macmillan Cancer Support’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.
They enjoyed it so much that they have now been meeting regularly since July 2010, with money raised through a raffle and donations given to a chosen beneficiary each month. These have included St Luke’s Church, Cae Gorlan Youth Club, the Abercarn Library café, local Scouts and Beavers groups, St David’s Foundation Hospice Care and the Risca food bank.
Around 20 people aged between 60 and 86 meet at The Crown Inn and the Commissioner’s Director of Communications and Engagement, Kelly Davies, joined them to talk about a wide range of topics, including the Commissioner’s ongoing Residential Care Review, which is looking at the quality of life and care in care homes across Wales.
Kelly told group members that 2,000 questionnaire responses have been received for the review, while the Commissioner’s team have now begun visits to care homes across Wales, which will include a number in Caerphilly County Borough.
The group also discussed the importance of vital community services to older people, such as buses, public toilets and day centres, which are disappearing from Caerphilly and other Welsh Local Authority areas.
New members are welcome at the next coffee morning on April 3 at 10.30am, which will be at the Crown Inn in Abercarn. Money will be raised for T? Hafan, while members will also discuss a charity walk that is due to take place in May.
The visit to Abercarn formed part of the Commissioner’s Engagement Roadshow, which met with over 5,500 people at 180 events across Wales in 2013. For details about the Commissioner’s work, visit www.olderpeoplewales.com.