Based in Central London. Part time. 1 day a week

We are looking for a part-time bookkeeper to work one day a week. The role is to fulfil the bookkeeping and statutory/management account function along with general financial management control, monthly payroll, bank reconciliation and supporting preparation for the annual audit.

Requirements for the role include:

- Knowledge of Quickbooks
– Experience of producing charity accounts according to SORP
– Excellent communication skills
– Strong administrative and organisational skills
– Excellent IT skills, particularly use of MS Excel
– A team player with good inter-personal skills

Please email a CV to info@contact-the-elderly.org.uk. Closing date is Thursday 17th May at 5pm.

On Sunday 29^th April, over 60 people attended the 02 Think Big Tea Party at Shettleston Juniors, Glasgow.  Members of the local community and some of our Contact the Elderly groups attended the event organised by Nicola McCarthy, group coordinator of Glasgow North East. We had people from the ages of a few months old, to Betty, at 101, who had a fantastic afternoon.

Everyone was treated to an afternoon of fun and entertainment, and of course, lots of lovely sandwiches and cakes galore! There was entertainment provided by three dancers from the The Kennedy Cupcakes, a 1940/50s inspired dance troup, who delighted the crowd with their incredible dancing to songs from that era. There were also raffle prizes which included beautiful flower arrangements, jewellery, presentation cakes, fruit baskets, and much more!

The afternoon was a great success with everyone saying how much they enjoyed the event. Isabel, from Glasgow, said:  “It was a real tonic coming along today – I can’t believe how well I’ve been looked after. I’m so taken aback I could cry.”

Thanks to Nicola and her brilliant team of helpers who worked tirelessly to organise the event and ensured it went smoothly on the day. Nicola is committed to improving the lives of the most lonely and isolated people and has been coordinating the Glasgow North East group for over two years.

Nicola said: “It’s great to see how much our older guests love being part of Contact the Elderly. This is what really keeps me motivated and eager to continue helping in anyway I can.”

Nicola McCarthy from Glasgow and Janice Stewart from Aberdeen are both backing Give More, a national campaign aiming to encourage people to give more time, energy or money to charity in 2012. The two ladies have chosen to ‘give more’ to Contact the Elderly this year.

On top of her volunteering commitment for Contact the Elderly, Nicola is organising The Big Tea Party in Glasgow this Sunday (29th April) to raise awareness of the charity’s work and help recruit new volunteers. For further information about The Big Tea Party, please click here.

Meanwhile, Janice, who originally started volunteering for the charity as a host (holding tea parties in her home once or twice a year), is ‘giving more’ to Contact this Elderly this year by becoming a driver. Janice, who is still hosting tea parties herself, is now collecting older guests from their homes and taking them to the gatherings hosted by other volunteers, for tea, chat and companionship one Sunday afternoon a month.

As part of the launch, the Give More campaign will tour different shopping centres throughout the UK, including today in Glasgow, where Nicola is kindly offering her help and support. Janice will also be attending the Aberdeen launch on Friday 4th May to offer her support to the campaign.

Thanks very much to both Nicola and Janice.

If you would like to ‘give more’ to Contact the Elderly this year, please have a look at our volunteering opportunities.

If you are interested in finding out more about Contact the Elderly and ways in which you can help lonely older people in Glasgow, ‘The Big Tea Party’ on Sunday 29th April is the perfect way to do so while enjoying a lovely spread of food, free flowing tea and great company.

This free event is being hosted by Nicola MacCarthy, who at twenty-four-years-old is one of Contact the Elderly’s youngest volunteer drivers, and coordinator for the Glasgow North East group.

Nicola is organising the event as part of 02‘s Think Big initiative for young people aged 13-25, which invites individuals to submit a project idea that can help to improve their local community. The communications company (also Nicola’s employer) has provided the funding to enable her to host the free awareness-raising event.

Nicola says: “By holding The Big Tea Party I hope both younger and older members of the local communities will come along to find out more about Contact the Elderly and join us as volunteers and guests of the local groups”.

The Big Tea Party is taking place on Sunday 29th April from 2-4pm at Shettleston Juniors, 401 Old Shettleston Road, G32 7JN. Admission is free and includes refreshments and entertainment.

Please spread the word and we look forward to seeing you on the day!

It was a lovely afternoon when the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden hosted another special tea party for several Contact the Elderly groups. This time we were also joined by two opera singer students who gave us an insight in to the time and dedication they have to put into learning an opera.

This special tea party was the last of the series of events in partnership with the Royal Opera House. With support from their sponsors, The Robert Gavron Charitable Trust, Contact the Elderly guests and volunteers have been able to enjoy discounted tickets to 2 operas and 2 ballets, and come along to a special tea with either a ballet or opera element.

Tony Hall, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide a great afternoon at the Opera House for older people facing isolation in their later years. Through the generous support of our sponsors, The Robert Gavron Charitable Trust, those who visited the Royal Opera House for the four performances were thrilled to be able to see world-class ballet from some of the best seats in the house. We are very grateful to the important work of Contact the Elderly in helping us to facilitate these days out.”

It was a wonderful day topped by a Happy Birthday song by all to Ella, who had just celebrated her 90th birthday.

Birthday girl Ella with Sam from the Royal Opera House and David.

Val Smith, who has been a volunteer driver for the group for over 30 years, has been joined by her daughter Donna Crockatt. Val joined the group when Donna was very young, and Donna has now decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a volunteer driver too.

Ann Godfrey, Group coordinator and a Volunteer Driver, said: “Donna has been to two parties with her mum to see how we work and is really enjoying it. She has been talking about it at her work, so something might come out of the conversations.”

The group is really helping to make a difference to the lives of older residents living in Havant, with eight older guests set to attend next month’s tea party.

From the photograph below, it looks like everyone had a great day out.

The fact that the sun was shining last Saturday (24th March) didn’t deter people from joining us once again for a cup of tea under the stairs at Paradise by way of Kensal Green for the first Kensal Flea vintage flea market of the year.

Organised by our volunteer host Juliet Kinsman, the Kensal Flea is still a popular event. Amongst vintage clothes, hats, jewellery and furniture you also found delicious cupcake stalls and other interesting things. Right in the middle, under the stairs, we were serving tea and biscuits whilst chatting to people about Contact the Elderly.

It was a lovely day, and many new hosts were recruited as well as a musician who has offered to come and entertain at some of our tea parties. Thank you to everyone who popped in, and to Tamsin who once again lent us her beautiful vintage crockery.

Contact the Elderly’s sixth Bristol group opened on Mother’s Day, Sunday 18th March, with seven older guests and volunteers coming together for their very first tea party.

All the guests and volunteers of the North West Bristol group had a lovely afternoon, as you can see from the photographs. One of the guests said: “It’s brilliant to get out and meet new people as I don’t have the opportunity to get out of my house.”

Unfortunately one of the guests wasn’t able to attend, as they weren’t feeling well – however, the group is looking forward to welcoming them at the April tea party.

Thanks to everyone involved in starting up the new group.