East Suffolk Council
Councillor funding keeps chins wagging in Carlton Colville
A regular social gathering of over-60s can continue to prosper following a donation from two East Suffolk councillors.
Conservative members for Carlton Colville, Myles Scrancher and Letitia Smith used £2,175 of their combined Enabling Communities Budgets to allow the much-loved local CommuniTEA Chinwag social and friendship group continue into the autumn.
Organised by Communities Together, the events take place across the region for older people to enjoy free refreshments, entertainment and activities – with the Carlton Colville group meeting at Uplands Community Hall, from 10am to 12pm on the first Friday of every month.
Cllr Scrancher, pictured with Jenny Day and Sharon Hobbs. said:
“Having visited the Chinwag, I have seen firsthand how valuable the session is for the people that go.
“It was extremely well attended, and I got to talk to many of the residents who value it so greatly. I couldn’t allow this much needed and valued initiative to end due to funding issues.
“We all know that loneliness and cost of living issues are big problems – and for one day a month, the session provides a welcome respite for people who may be affected by these issues.
“The volunteers and people that support the event every month are amazing and deserve the plaudits for making the Chinwag happen. I am very pleased, along with my fellow councillor, Letitia Smith, to be able to enable the continuation of the Chinwag into the autumn of 2025 with our Enabling Communities Budgets funding.”
Sharon Hobbs, Community Engagement Co-ordinator for Communities Together East Anglia, said:
“The CommuniTEA Chinwag is a social and friendship group, for people aged 60 plus, which has been running monthly in Carlton Colville for over two years and regularly sees around 40 to 50 people, supported by two members of staff and local volunteers from Lowestoft Men’s Shed and the Central Co-op.
“The Chinwag runs for two hours each month and follows a simple but effective format of building trust and support for individuals, with a longer-term aim of building confidence, community interaction and friendship. We do this through a simple programme of activities, games, entertainment, information, and signposting and of course lots of chat, cups of tea and cake.
“We are, therefore, extremely grateful to Cllrs Scrancher and Smith for their very kind donation towards the continuation of the CommuniTEA Chinwag in Carlton Colville until September 2025, and this will now enable us to continue to reduce social isolation and loneliness while enhancing the lives of those attending across the Lowestoft communities.”
Each of East Suffolk Council’s 55 elected members has an Enabling Communities Budget to support activities delivered by community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations.
A total of £412,500 was allocated from New Homes Bonus, generated through new housing development in the district, for 2024/2025 – giving each councillor a budget of £7,500 to spend on community projects, or to develop new projects in their ward to tackle local need.
Projects have previously included village hall refurbishments, one-off events to benefit the wider community, youth groups and activities, and the purchase of play equipment and defibrillators.