‘You just get chatting’: Initiative bringing older people in NI together for tea and talk on the train

An initiative to combat loneliness has proved to be a huge hit Participants from Derry/Londonderry It’s a testament to the Chat-Tea Train/Chatty Carriages initiative that each of the patrons I spoke to mentioned how lively the event was and how it made them feel so connected. The Chat-Tea Train initiative is run by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and the Chatty Carriages by the Northern Trust. The idea behind both is a simple one: to take a group of older people, or those who may not get out as much as they would like, on the train, where they can get together to chat, have a bit of craic, admire the scenery, have a cuppa and make new friends.

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