Offering opportunities and providing facilities for seniors to socialise is becoming increasingly important in communities to combat loneliness. In an effort to reduce loneliness amongst the elderly in Winchester, Hampshire, Berkeley is sponsoring the ‘Winchester Well-Being Bus’, supporting Winchester Well-Being, a local charity that provides seniors with events and weekly lunches at two locations in Winchester.
Run by St Barnabas Church and Winchester Baptist Church, Winchester the Well-Being Bus picks up each member and drops them to and from their lunch location three times a week. The bus relies solely on sponsorships and is the only transport option for many attendees.
Carol Bailey, Mission to Seniors at Winchester Baptist Church, comments: “We are thrilled that Berkeley has been able to support us so generously. This money is vital for us to keep the bus running and it makes such a difference to so many of our elder folk in the Winchester area. The team at Winchester Well-Being is very grateful for Berkeley’s sponsorship as the lunches provide seniors with a place to laugh, chat and socialise. Ultimately, this wouldn’t be possible without transport to and from the location.”