Colchester Chinese Culture Society
Chinese Elderly Befriending Project
Colchester Chinese Culture Society (CCCS) have been successful in receiving funding from the Local Connections Fund -National Lottery Community Fund. The Chinese Elderly Befriending Project will be delivered to the elderly Chinese community in Colchester & Tendering.
Our volunteers from Colchester Chinese Culture Society will provide services to the elderly Chinese community who have been isolated and shielding since the outbreak of the pandemic with limited resources. For Chinese Elderly community, language and cultural differences contribute to their difficulties, increasing their sense of isolation. Befriending is a positive way for Chinese elderly to get back into society through friendship and support.
The Project will run from March to April 2021 over two months. If you would like to access our services as part of Chinese Elderly Befriending Project, please contact:
Activities
Chit and Chat - CCCS volunteers will provide online basic physical activities including simple exercises, reading sessions, 1-2-1 online social interaction.
Meal on Wheels - Home delivery - Provide and deliver hot Chinese meals over the next 2 months when required to the homes of the elderly.
Shop n Drop - our volunteers will shop for groceries and deliver to their homes as and when required.
We reached out to the elderly Chinese community through our networks and through family members. Our project reached out to over 50 elderly Chinese people living in Colchester & Tendering.
The elderly people were able to meet our volunteers through online platforms, enjoyed traditional Chinese food, supported with shop n drop, provision of online activities including Chit & Chat, reading, simple exercises which supported well-being and mental health and access a range of support services including Friends of Dementia, NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme. Our Project has sustained older people in their retirement and supported them with their needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We worked in partnership with local organisations who supported our project including Age UK with information and advice services & Active Essex who supported with physical activities Pack and online activities through our 5 x CCCS volunteers. The project gave confidence and knowledge to our CCCS Chinese volunteers how worked with the elderly people and provided a sustainable model to go forward beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our project supported upskilling volunteers through training and development opportunities including safeguarding, food and hygiene, health and safety working with the local Chinese Community Chefs who prepared the food with the support of the volunteers. All our CCCS volunteers were from the Chinese community and live in Essex around the Colchester & Tendering area. The project has also enabled long term trust between CCCS and the elderly Chinese community in Colchester. Going forward after the COVID-19 pandemic we will continue with activities including outings, luncheon club, visits to local venues. CCCS volunteers and Board of Trustees are keen to continue and build on the success of the Chinese Elderly Befriending Project.
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