Selwyn Centres celebrate 15 years of providing friendship and support to older people in the community
September 2015 marked the 15th anniversary of The Selwyn Foundation’s ‘Selwyn Centres’ charitable outreach programme, which aims to combat the problems of loneliness and social isolation of elderly people living alone in the community. The initiative, which provides neighbourhood drop-in centres for the over 65s, was first launched in Papakura (South Auckland) in 2000. Since then, the number of Selwyn Centres has grown to 43, offering friendship, fun, support and advocacy to seniors in localities across Greater Auckland, Northland, the Waikato and Christchurch.
“The Selwyn Centres provide companionship and shared interests in a supportive environment which, in turn, can contribute to older people being able to stay active, healthy and independent in their own homes.”
For older people who may be without close family or friends, or who have limited opportunity for social engagement, the Selwyn Centres provide a chance to meet up each week with others of the same age group within their local area. Part-funded by The Selwyn Foundation, a charitable Trust whose mission is to help vulnerable elderly, they are run in partnership with Anglican Church parishes and welcome people of all faiths, backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities. Read more on the Selwyn Foundation website.