Chesterfield MP, Toby Perkins, has given his backing to the Silver Sunday campaign to bring together older people and local businesses in the community.

Around 4 million people in England, over the age of 65, say they feel lonely. As an MP, Toby often receive letters and emails from older people in Chesterfield & Staveley, who feel they have become increasingly isolated and without the sense of community that they once experienced.

This has not been helped by the cuts to charities and public services over the last thirteen years by successive Conservative governments.

Loneliness is not without consequence, increasing the likelihood of being diagnosed with dementia, and lacking social connections is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

The Silver Sunday campaign is a national day where people of all generations can come together by hosting fun and free activities for older people. It is a day where older people can meet new people, visit new places, try new activities and connect with their local communities and the generations around them.

Toby, as an Age UK’s ‘Age Champion’, receives regular updates on the big issues that affect older people in their local area and an area profile with data on their constituency. Often he holds or attends coffee mornings, aimed at bringing the community together and combatting loneliness & isolation.

Toby said: “The Silver Sunday campaign is a great initiative to tackle the loneliness and isolation that is so often prevalent amongst older members of our community. Silver Sunday connects older people with opportunities, events and people around them and has a hugely positive impact on a demographic who are often forgotten in politics. I am happy to support this campaign, and would urge local organisations to get involved. ”

Any local organisation that is interested in taking part in the scheme on the 1^st October, whether it be hosting, or running an event, should get in touch with Silver Sunday at https://silversunday.org.uk/