Pugh’s Garden Villages supporting Age Cymru’s Friend-in-Need service during the run up to Christmas

Celebration event held at the Pugh’s Garden Village in Wenvoe  

Age Cymru has teamed up with Pugh’s Garden Villages to raise vital funds for the charity’s telephone friendship service called Friend-in-Need during the run up to Christmas. 

The Cardiff based centres will be donating all the profits from the sale of Pugh’s Christmas Bear and its ‘Bear in the Window’ book. They will also be seeking donations from customers using its Christmas tree cutting and netting service. 

But perhaps more importantly, Pugh’s will also be inviting all their staff to join the Friend-in-Need service whereby they call an older person who lives alone for an informal chat and thereby help to combat loneliness and isolation amongst our older population. 

To help launch the partnership Pughs have invited older people supported by Age Cymru to visit the centres for a free cuppa and mince pie.   

Pugh’s Amy Sinclair says, “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Age Cymru to help combat loneliness and social isolation for older people this Christmastime through our ‘Don’t Bear Christmas Alone’ campaign.” 

As part of the campaign, Pugh’s launched a brand new 2024 Pugh Bear and written an accompanying story book titled The Bear in the Window with profits from both being donated to the charity’s Friend in Need Telephone Befriending Service.  

Amy says “As a family-run business who has seen generations of customers visit our centres over the last 70 years, the Friend In Need Service really struck a chord with us as it’s a valuable provision for older people in our communities and we’re delighted to help raise vital funds for this service.  

“Choosing Age Cymru as our 2024 Christmas Charity means that our customers can directly help provide friendship and support for lonely older people through purchasing our Pugh Bear and Book, and we think that is really special.” 

Quotes from Wenvoe event 

Keith Bradley lives in the Vale of Glamorgan and contacted the Friend in Need service when his mother was diagnosed with dementia at the start of Covid. He said “The weekly phone calls became an event for my mother who would dress up ahead of each call. The calls gave her a chance to reflect on her past and they also gave me some important respite from caring for my mother.” 

Chris Jones, a volunteer caller, lives near Penarth in the Vale Glamorgan. Speaking at the Wenvoe event he said: “The Friend in Need service is a fantastic service for those older people who’ve become lonely, providing them with an important lifeline.” 

For more information about the fundraising activities or Age Cymru’s Friend-in-Need service contact Amanda O’Shea on 029 2043 1555, email amanda.oshea@agecymru.org.uk, or visit www.agecymru.org.uk/friend.