Volunteers across Scotland make sure no-one is lonely this Christmas

Oliver is one of a growing army of people who have decided to step in and make sure that those who don’t want to spend Christmas alone never have to.

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Last Tuesday, the Scottish Government announced £1 million of funding will be put into a two-year strategy aimed at tackling loneliness and treating it as a public-health issue.

Minister for Older People and Equalities, Christina McKelvie cited a recent survey suggesting one in 10 Scots say they often feel lonely and that rapid technological changes “can lead to people withdrawing and losing touch with friends and family”.

But community organisers are already mobilising. On Christmas Day there will be scores of community parties, meals and events – run largely by volunteers who often get as much out of the event as their guests – held up and down Scotland.

Oliver’s event at Ayr’s St Margaret Cathedral is one of more than 20 taking place under the Community Christmas umbrella, a UK-wide organisation that believes that no older person in the UK should be alone on Christmas Day unless they want to be.

Communities are encouraged to provide companionship to older people on Christmas Day by running a community Christmas lunch event, joining up with others at a local pub or restaurant, or even just popping round for tea and cake. The idea is to kick start a year-round shift, providing people with a opportunity to meet up with old friends and make new friends creating bonds in the community that last well beyond the single day.

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It was the brainchild of Caroline Billington, who first volunteered as a driver at her local lunch club on Christmas Day 11 years ago. “When I was taking them home everyone was so buoyant and full of plans to keep in touch over the year,” she explains. Witnessing the benefits made her determined to ensure older people across the UK also had the opportunity to connect at Christmas. It’s about using Christmas as a trigger to tackle social isolation, she says.

“We hear stories about grandchildren skyping grandparents. That’s fine but it’s about making sure that doesn’t replace face-to-face contact.

“In our communities now we are not aware of the activities of our neighbours. I feel strongly about people being better neighbours because it benefits everybody.”

Back in Ayr, Oliver admits that when she put in a bid for a Voluntary Action South Ayrshire befriending project 17 years ago, highlighting the loneliness and isolation many older people were facing in the area, she didn’t fully understand its effects.

That soon changed, as she also volunteered for the project and met an older man who had recently lost his wife. He told her that the only people he spoke to were the young women in the bookies who took the 50p bet he put on every day.

Her heart broke when he told her about his sadness on spending Christmas on his own, without his wife. “I was so upset,” she remembers. “I decided then that we were going to do something for Christmas. That year I went out and got the money and the people that came were over the moon.”

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THE event has run every year since – her daughter started attending as a volunteer aged just nine – and now caters for up to 80 people, each of whom is picked up at their door from noon.

The man who inspired it all attended for 15 years before he passed away a couple of years ago.

There’s a three-course lunch – soup, and either turkey or nut roast with all the trimmings and a choice of three different puddings. “People love the trifle but we always have Christmas pudding and something else too,” she says. Then there’s dancing, – “those who can manage have a shuffle round the floor” – presents, and mince pies, accompanied by a wee sherry for those that want it. “I try to give them a full afternoon full of festive cheer,” she says. “We get such lovely thank-you letters and people start phoning up from January to check their name is on the list.

“I love spending time with old people. It reminds me of happy times with my grandparents. But I think our elderly people are often forgotten. The communities people used to have are long gone. I’ll keep doing this for as long as I can. If I didn’t do this I’d be sat at home, stuffing my face. For why?”

Contacts are also made and friendships forged – two older men who lived near by formed a bond at one event, and after one had a fall the other encouraged him to get out and about and come along the next year. “People swap numbers and they keep in touch,” says Oliver.

In Motherwell, Colin Anderson from the Maranatha Centre is running a community party for the third year and is expecting around 20 people, many of whom would otherwise be on their own at Christmas. Run by a church group, the idea came together when they realised that there was both a need and an empty church hall, which would be put into use on Christmas Day.

“In the area around Motherwell and Wishaw there is a lot of deprivation and there are people who simply don’t have the resources to make Christmas work,” he said.

People pre-register so that travel arrangements can be put in place and suitable presents bought in advance. The first year three families attended. “We made sure that all of the kids that came got decent presents,” he said, acknowledging that it was unlikely that there would have been much waiting under the tree for them on Christmas morning.

This year guests will mostly be single from a variety of backgrounds – many are middle aged, but they include a 16-year-old referred by a teacher. Christmas lunch will be served, Santa will visit and there will be party games before the leftovers are boxed up ready to eat on Boxing Day.

“I think it’s a reminder that Christmas can be difficult for a number of reasons, either emotional or financial,” adds Anderson. “The atmosphere we try to create here is a party one and I really enjoy it because there is a realisation that we are doing something that people really appreciate.”

Some celebrations are small but happen regardless to make sure no-one feels forgotten. Vikki Ferguson from Abbeyfield, a centre for older people in Stirling, is expecting just three guests this year – there were two last year – but still feels its an essential service.

“The people that come along are normally elderly that will be on their own,” she explains. “Our Christmas meal is a great social event for our residents who all chose to stay for lunch instead of going to families. They are a wee family and we welcome new faces at Christmas. We feel there is a growing need in our area as a lot of elderly live in isolation and are lonely. The highlight to me is knowing that we shared our day with someone that may have been on their own and that they have had a lovely meal and time.”

OUTWITH the Community Christmas banner there are all sorts of events running to help people cope with difficult situations. They include Crisis at Christmas – organised by the UK-wide homeless charity Crisis – which will open its doors over four days from December 25-28, as well as on New Year, at the Southside Community Centre in Edinburgh. Similar events are held in London and other English cities.

There will be food, company, activities, and entertainment and on Christmas Day and Boxing Day hairdressing and massage and foot care. It’s open to anyone over 18 who is experiencing homelessness and organisers expect over 700 visits. Guests will also be encouraged to find out more about the year-round services Crisis offers including specialised advice on benefits, employment and housing.

Ann Landels, director of Crisis Skylight Edinburgh, said: “Last Christmas we provided over 300 haircuts, foot treatments and massages and over 1220 meals to our guests.

“This year we have 520 people signed up to volunteer, who are giving up their time so generously to make Christmas special for others. In doing so, they send a powerful message; that our society does not tolerate homelessness and the stigma and suffering it brings.”

The improved feeling of self-worth that being cared for at the four-day event brings can lead people to feel able to connect with services, which may have failed them in the past, and find a way out of homelessness.

A feeling of loving care is right at the centre of Who Cares? Scotland’s event – Care Family Christmas – which aims at “making Christmas perfect” for those who have experienced the care system. Its Christmas events have been running since 2014, aiming to offer a fun, festive atmosphere. They include dinner with all the trimmings, hot chocolate with marshmallows and squirty cream, present bags for all and bean bags for chill-out time.

Ryan McCuaig, a board member for Who Cares? Scotland who will be volunteering at the event for the first time this year, said: “For some care-experienced people, Christmas is a reminder of what doesn’t exist.

“Many care-experienced people in Scotland are given a cut-off date for when care ends. That is what leads to people waking up alone in flats, bed and breakfasts and student halls on Christmas Day. We’ll be pulling crackers, opening presents and eating together.”

Not all families look the same. But there are plenty of people this Christmas doing everything they can to help everyone who wants one find one, of some sort or another.