CSV Get Active Week 2007 – Sunday 17 June to Sunday 24 June.

South American musicians performing for 150 lonely Londoners are among the hundreds of volunteers across the country giving thousands of isolated older people a rare day out for CSV Get Active Week 2007 (17 – 24 June 2007).

CSV Get Active Week 2007 provides thousands of housebound and isolated people from across the UK with much needed company and companionship. CSV is also hoping to attract more volunteers aged 50-plus to keep themselves active and happy by joining the charity’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP).

Denise Murphy, Director of RSVP says: “CSV Get Active Week is about showing lonely and isolated people that they are not forgotten. Many local people volunteer to organise events because they simply aren’t willing to have people ignored on their own doorstep. I know that for many of the older people who benefit, a trip to the beach or a picnic in the countryside is something that they look forward to all year.”

An incredible 5 million over-50s take part in unpaid work each year. (1) Volunteers assisting patients in GP surgeries are cutting patient prescriptions by 30% (2) and volunteers in primary schools are helping to raise the reading age of children.  Research also shows that volunteering can benefit older volunteers in many ways, including making new friends, gaining self confidence and living healthier lives. More than half (51%) of over 65s say volunteering has improved their health and fitness and 62% of over 65s say volunteering helps reduce stress. Up to 17% of volunteers even report that volunteering can boost your sex life. (3) 

Events taking place across the UK for CSV Get Active Week include:

• An afternoon of South American musical entertainment for around 150 isolated older people at the Kensington Close Hotel. This is the flagship event for CSV Get Active week and will be officially opened by the Mayor and Mayoress of Kensington.

• The Guild Choir of Poole will sing to 50 older people from East Dorset.

• Volunteers have organised an afternoon tea party for residents of sheltered housing in Nailsea, Somerset.

• In Wigan, RSVP volunteers are taking over 20 older people to spend an evening at the theatre.

• In Carnwath, South Lanarkshire, over 20 people will go on coach trip to a craft event followed by tea at a local garden centre.

To get involved in 'CSV Get Active Week' visit: www.csv.org.uk/seniorvolunteers or call 020 7643 1385.

Further press information: Paul Donohoe 020 7812 0037/07779 624 385; pdonohoe@csv.org.uk or Jason Tanner 020 7812 0038/ 07941 433598; jtanner@csv.org.uk

Notes for Editors

1. ‘The economic contribution of older people’ - Report for Age Concern England by Pamela Meadows (January 2004)

2. Based on a study by Dr Pietroni: The Impact of a Volunteer Community Care Project in a Primary Health Care Setting (1991)

3. Independent research by ICM, commissioned by CSV Make a Day Difference and Barclays 2004

4. CSV (Community Service Volunteers) creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action. Last year 227,000 people gave 5 million hours of their time as volunteers through CSV. CSV trains 12,705 people of all ages. www.csv.org.uk