Suffolk coffee caravan initiative gains corporate support
Some of the Suffolk Life staff who took part in the 2016 Alton Water Run - Credit: Archant
Rural Coffee Caravan, the mobile charity that offers a place for Suffolk’s most rural and isolated communities to meet for coffee, friendship and access to vital support services, has announced the fundraising support of Suffolk Life, one of the UK’s leading providers and administrators of specialist pension products.
Suffolk-based charity Rural Coffee Caravan on the road Photo by Steve Tanner - Credit: Archant
Employees at Suffolk Life’s Ipswich office, who chose Rural Coffee Caravan as their Charity of the Year, will be organising and donating proceeds from a busy schedule of special fundraising events, including the firm’s popular “Bake Off” style cake making competition.
Ann Osborn of Rural Coffee Caravan said: “We cannot thank Suffolk Life enough for the company’s enthusiastic response to our approach for help.
“There is a great match in values and ethos between us, since we’re all for helping people in later life, especially those in rural villages who are some of the county’s most isolated people. We are extremely grateful to Suffolk Life for pledging their team’s support and fundraising efforts, which enable the Coffee Caravan to continue touring the county and making regular visits.”
The Rural Coffee Caravan was set up in 2002 and leads the way in providing mobile support and information services to some of Suffolk’s most isolated communities, often where there is no hall or other meeting place, shop, pub or public amenities.
The charity improves wellbeing by providing a place where they can meet for conversation and information over good coffee and homemade cake.
The Rural Coffee Caravan also provides a mobile information service via its countywide network of almost 100 volunteers in host villages and its working partnerships with many other charities, community groups and support agencies in Suffolk.
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The Coffee Caravan ensures those other agencies reach people in need of particular help or specialist advice, by referring and following up to see how they got on. The information and referrals provided by the Rural Coffee Caravan have already helped many people to remain living independently, and to gain access to welfare benefits, support services and information.
Suffolk Life employs nearly 300 people at its Ipswich headquarters.
For more information about the work of Rural Coffee Caravan, its other events and village visits planned throughout 2017, go to www.ruralcoffeecaravan.org.uk
Find out how Rural Coffee Caravan helps to end loneliness in Suffolk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmz5Z7ccv08
Watch what happens at a typical village visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Csi9-QcIb4
