Westhill Resilience Group

Westhill Resilience Group Afternoon Tea Project

Five voluntary organisations within Westhill partnered together, with support from the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership, to identify and engage with members of the community over 80 years old, as well as those who have been shielding, either due to age or medical condition during lockdown, to say Thank You for helping the NHS by keeping themselves and the community safe. As well as this, the project hoped to reduce the isolation experienced by some through social contact and increase the wellbeing of the individuals by having a doorstep chat and making sure they felt supported. Each organisation involved already had well established and good relationships within the community and were offering various types of support. Examples of this support includes the collection and delivery of shopping and prescription collections. By coming together and working collaboratively to plan and organise this project, they were able to reach a larger number within the community.

The afternoon tea event is a great example of the power of working together to make things happen. A successful funding bid was made to the Garioch Area’s Resilience Funding which led to 180 afternoon teas being delivered on the afternoon of 10th August by 40 volunteers. A community minibus was used to pick up the afternoon teas from a local supplier they were then distributed to the volunteers from designated parking areas in the community church carpark. Dietary requirements were taken into consideration to ensure those who were unable to have the standard afternoon tea had a suitable alternative. The project was hailed a great success and the Westhill Resilience Group is currently looking to expand the project to include those in local residential accommodation and provide them with a suitable thank you gift and the opportunity to engage with volunteers around their wellbeing.

Comments from 2  gratefull people:-

I really enjoyed our afternoon tea on such a lovely day. Many thanks to all in the resilience group and to those who travelled to give us this gift.

” I’ve just received a very special gift of an afternoon tea from the Westhill Resilience Group!! I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve it, but I feel very blessed. If you had anything to do with putting my name forward then a big thank you to you!” “