LEEDS Metropolitan University students partied alongside a 97 year old volunteer to celebrate the work of a west Leeds charity.
Helen Copley, the oldest member of Bramley Elderly Action (BEA) and Older Wiser Local Seniors (OWLS), joined colleagues and students at Beckett Park’s student union to celebrate the hard work and dedication of the charity.
The annual party, organised by more than 30 students, marked a “new high for intergenerational relations within the community”, according to Zoe Ricketts, volunteer coordinator at Bramley Elderly Action.
She said: “The staff and volunteers at BEA and OWLS work hard all year round to ensure that the older members of the community get the most out of life. Intergenerational events such as this show how charities can bring together people of all ages for the benefit of everyone involved.”
The partygoers enjoyed an evening of music, dancing, entertainment and food.
The student hosts joined the festivities later, which included a quiz and ‘Race Night’ featuring competing pigs with knitted jockeys.
Lee Ingham, manager of BEA, said: “The entire event has been amazing from start to finish. The students really excelled themselves and I know that everyone involved had a wonderful evening. We rely so much on the generosity and hard work of our volunteers and this annual party is a perfect way to show how much we appreciate them.”
The Bramley charity, founded in 1994, provides opportunities and support for older people, 60 and over, in Bramley, Swinnow and parts of Stanningley.
It is one of 37 independent Neighbourhood Network Schemes for older people in Leeds, and comprises around 1,100 members and 150 volunteers, aged 18 to 97. BEA also operates the OWLS group, which supports older people in Burley, Hyde Park, Little Woodhouse, Headingley and parts of Kirkstall. For membership and volunteering queries, or event suggestions, call 0113 2361644.