‘Social Meals for the Elderly’ is not just about a sit-down meal, but an uplifting project that aims to tackle social isolation and loneliness amongst the elderly population of Stockport.  

In 2022, the SKylight Community Fund awarded £839 to Cheadle Heath Community Association (CHCA) to run two events – a musical Spring Afternoon Tea and Christmas Lunch, held on Christmas Day itself.  

The festivities included food, drink, entertainment, and decorative displays, organised entirely by volunteers, and supported by the fund. The event also rallied contributions from the wider community, including local neighbours and businesses.  

Both events were highly successful, with 93 people attending across the year. Feedback received was also overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting that they would have spent Christmas Day alone without the festive event.   

The project also reported a positive impact on the volunteers, who expressed great pride in their community.  

The SKylight Community Fund are proud to be sponsoring CHCA with their 2023 social meals. If you would like more information, please contact Clare Cliff at: [email protected] 

“The Cheadle Heath Community Association are a group of residents and local councillors who volunteer their time to manage the Rose Walker Community Centre. Over the years, the centre has become a hub for local groups and activities, as well as the popular Friendly Fridays drop-in for all ages. We were very interested in Clare's fantastic goal of bringing older, isolated people together and we were delighted to secure funding from Skylight to help her bring this vision to life. Long may these events continue!”

For a full table of activities ran by Cheadle Health Community Centre, visit their website, or follow their Facebook page for details.