Loneliness in the elderly: helping out during Diwali

Lady Jenkin, Bob Blackman MP, Baroness Verma, Lord Dholakia and Lady Dholakia at the launch of Great British Chai Party

The elderly are particularly vulnerable, especially under the current pandemic situation and they will likely face self-isolation for months. 

To help lonely or socially isolated elderly people in our community,  this Diwali,  Kiran Bhanaut and Sushma Bhanot, the co-founders of The British Chai Party, distributed Diwali hampers in East and West London.  The Diwali hampers have been delivered at the doorsteps of elderly homes, ensuring Covid secure measures were strictly followed.

The receipients of the Diwali hampers were very touched and felt valued especially during the lockdown when loneliness is even more prevalent.

Diwali is the Festival of Light celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. It is a time of happiness and celebrations and families and friends getting together, however, due to the lockdown family and friends get-togethers were not possible this year resulting in a lot of the Asian elderly community to spend Diwali at home alone.

 By distributing the Diwali Hampers the organisers Sushma and Kiran made a small effort to spread the message of hope, happiness and care to our elderly community. Some photos of the Diwali hampers distribution are on the attached sheet.

Sushma and Kiran have been instrumental since the first lockdown in keeping the elderly community engaged by organising Zoom meetings with the elderly enabling them to have social interaction with others by sharing songs, poems etc, and they are committed to doing more similar events to tackle loneliness and isolation in the elderly.

Note:

It has been particularly difficult during the  Covid period for the elderly in our community who have felt even more isolated than before. This charity was set up to address loneliness and isolation in the elderly by Kiran Bhanaut and Sushma Bhanot.

For further information contact:

Kiran Bhanaut 07713984994

Sushma Bhanot 07939976859

The Great British Tea Party Launch -Bob Blackman MP

Bob hosted event to launch The Great British Chai Party, an initiative to address loneliness in the elderly population, as part of International Women’s Day celebrations in Parliament. The event was organised by Sushma Bhanot and Ravi Bhanot, Directors of Coolherbals and he was joined by Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, Co-founder of Women2Win, Baroness Sandip Verma, former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development and Ministerial Champion for tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Overseas and Lord Dolar Popat, Prime Minister’s Envoy for Uganda and Rwanda.

http://www.bobblackmanmp.com/news/1213-the-great-british-tea-party-launch

Coolherbals launches ‘Great British Tea Party’

Coolherbals celebrates International Women’s Day at the House of Commons attended by personalities from media, human rights and employment law professionals, and business magnates …. reports Asian Lite News

Organised by Sushma Bhanot and Ravi Bhanot, hosted by Bob Blackman MP and facilitated by Lakshmi Kaul, the event was befitting to this year’s theme ‘Be Bold for Change’.

Baroness Verma, Baroness Jenkin, Lord & Lady Dholakia and Lord Popat have all spoken eloquently at the event.  Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel sent her good wishes in support of the event, which included ‘I welcome your launch of The Great British Chai Party, this is a brilliant initiative. The issue of ageing and looking after those who are vulnerable and unable to support themselves is extremely important’.

Coolherbals launches ‘Great British Tea Party’

Parliament witnesses the launch of the Great British Chai Party

The International Women’s Day was celebrated at the House of Commonson 6thMarch, at an event hosted by Bob Blackman MP, in presence of a number of influential and inspirational speakers from Parliament like Lord Navnit Dholakia, Baroness Sandip Verma, Lord Dolar Popat and the community, who came together to share their view point.

The evening also marked the launch of The Great British Chai Party, an exciting initiative focusing on the elderly and supporting government initiatives for a better quality of life in this age group.

Parliament witnesses the launch of the Great British Chai Party

Great British Chai Party launched at an International Women’s Day Event

The Great British Chai Party initiative was launched last night at an International Women’s Day event hosted by Bob Blackman MP at the House of Commons on 6th March 2017. Created to tackle loneliness in the elderly, the Great British Chai Party encourages people to host tea parties to aid social cohesion and facilitate news friendships. The initiative asks volunteers to arrange transport and host small groups of elderly people from all faiths and backgrounds at a tea party in their home or at a local community centre. The Great British Chai Party, the brainchild of Sushma Bhanot and Kiran Bhanaut, used the launch pad of International Women’s Day and was supported by Baroness Jenkin, Lord & Lady Dholakia, Lord Popat and Baroness Verma.

Read more at:

Great British Chai Party launched at an International Women’s Day Event