Statement on social gatherings and Coronavirus
Yesterday, Thursday 12th March, Re-engage took the incredibly difficult decision to ask our volunteers to suspend our social gatherings in light of the Coronavirus outbreak.
We work with the older old – the average age of our guests is 85 – and we know that this is the group most vulnerable to the Coronavirus. For this reason, we have asked our volunteers to find alternatives to group gatherings to help alleviate loneliness and isolation at this time.
Re-engage is a lifeline of friendship for older people and our volunteers are often the only company that older people have. So, we have asked our volunteer leaders to set up buddy systems within their groups that will ensure that all the older people in our groups are not further isolated by the decision to suspend the group gatherings. Our entire staff is standing by to be part of this programme and we are in the process of finding new ways to reach isolated older people beyond our core model of social gatherings.
We will continue to update this page as things progress and to bring news of the important and innovative ways that our amazing volunteers are continuing to help the older people at this time of disquiet for them.
- Meryl Davies
CEO, Re-engage
Useful links
Age UK has this page which is regularly updated https://www.ageuk.org.uk/london/about-us/news/articles/2020/02/coronavirus-advice/
For more information regarding community response and social distancing, please click here.
We will continue to update this page and ask that you keep an eye on it.
Stay well and safe and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries.
More news
Call companions keeping communities connected
Following the Government’s decision to move into the ‘Delay’ phase of their national emergency plan we took the organisational decision to suspend our regular social gatherings for the time being.
By Re-engage
International Women's Day 2020 - Ruth's story
For International Women's Day 2020, we chatted to volunteer host Ruth about her early years as a Scout, overcoming difficulty and why she'd never go on Bake Off.
By Re-engage