It’s called the most wonderful time of the year, – but thousands of over 60s across Northern Ireland are facing a completely Silent Night – and Day – this Christmas season, with one in 10 across the UK not sure they will speak to anyone between December 15th and January 1st.
The sobering statistic comes from Asda’s new Christmas Community report – which surveyed 1,000 over 60s and revealed that last Christmas, almost one in five said there were days when they didn’t speak to a single soul. One in 10 over 60s said they’d gone to a supermarket simply to speak to another person. Worryingly, 42 per cent said their mental health suffered as a result of their lack of interaction with others.
This Christmas, Asda is encouraging over 60s to visit their local Asda store and enjoy a ‘Winter Warmer’– the hugely popular deal that offers over 60s a hearty soup and a roll, with the new addition of a hot drink – with others of their age until the end of 2024. With three soup flavours to choose from and the addition of unlimited tea or coffee – all for just £1, the Asda Winter Warmer initiative is bigger and better than ever.
Asda Larne Community Champion, Gail Caldwell, often visits a local OAP group in the Linn Road Community Centre and said:
“Even though we don’t have a café, we always make sure to support the elderly within the local community in any way we can. I join the Linn Road Community group on a Monday to have lunch, lend a helping hand and catch up with everyone who comes.”
“The group provides a warm space to meet for the local community, with a bowl of soup and wheaten, cup of tea or coffee and traybakes, as well as a place to chat. There are also regular talks on topics like personal safety, and we had someone in for an air fryer demonstration which was great. I’ll also be helping to organize Christmas lunch in a couple of weeks’ time – it’s an important time to bring the community together and we’re all looking forward to it.”
The supermarket is aiming to transform their in-store café’s into ‘Chatty Cafes’ – where senior citizens can come together, eat and drink, and make new friends. National treasure and affable star of Gavin & Stacey, Larry Lamb, launched the new initiative in Asda Heron Retail Park in Basildon, spending hours chatting to more than 40 senior citizens who attended the grand opening, tucking into bowls of soup and a cuppa.
As well as its Chatty Café offer, Asda is investing further in tackling loneliness for the over 60s across the Festive period. Across its estate, and running up until the New Year, Asda colleagues will be donning ‘Happy to Chat’ badges, checking in on older customers in-store when delivering home shopping orders.
The supermarket will also dedicate £600k of Asda Foundation grants to tackling loneliness among the elderly through boosting activities in the local communities, funding Christmas celebrations for elderly groups to bring them together as well as supporting donations of daily essentials.
Anyone wishing to get involved can reach out to their Community Champion at their local Asda store for more details of events near them.