On the day, Cares Family neighbours and Ombudsman Services volunteers were treated to a live cooking demonstration by Chef Alex from Vegetarian for Life, displaying how to make nutritious, hearty meals using everyday ingredients. Volunteers were on hand all day to provide tea, coffee, and conversation for the Cares Family neighbours – even getting involved with a few games of Scrabble and dominoes.
Founded in 2011, the Cares Family aims to bring people together across different generations and backgrounds to help reduce loneliness. The Cares Family believe that everyone needs to share quality time with one another to thrive, but our modern lives mean more people are becoming isolated and disconnected from their communities.
Loneliness can affect anyone of any age and can significantly increase a person’s risk of serious health conditions like heart disease and dementia. The Cares Family aim to tackle this by bringing older and younger people together with social clubs and community fundraising. Their projects have connected 26,000 older and younger people, helping them to develop diverse relationships with neighbours their communities.
“I love volunteering for the Cares Family events,” said Nic Foley, Dispute Resolution Executive at Ombudsman Services. “The company is always fabulous as the members tell you wonderful stories of their lives and adventures. The events are always fun too and learning how to cook vegetarian meals with tasting sessions wasn’t a bad way to spend a Friday.”
Jess from the Cares Family thanked volunteers for their support: “Our neighbours had a brilliant time – they really valued being able to get to know Ombudsman Services colleagues and having a proper chat! The volunteers were so helpful and friendly, and it was lovely to see some old and new faces among them.
“This extended club is one way we’ve adapted our programmes to respond to the cost-of-living crisis, ensuring that our neighbours have access to warm, affordable ways to connect.”
Ombudsman Services is committed to delivering continued support for the Cares Family and the vital work they carry out. This is part of an ongoing initiative to provide funding and volunteer opportunities for a range of projects across the local community, including Warrington Foodbank, Mersey Forest and Camp Project Wales.