BEWDLEY Town Council has pledged to help reduce loneliness and isolation amongst older people in the community.

The local authority has agreed to set up a working party to identify the social needs of the elderly in the town and improve their quality of life.

Four councillors will form the group, which will collaborate with numerous partners including charities and civic organisations such as Age UK Wyre Forest.

Independent Community and Health Concern councillor Anne Mace, who proposed the initiative, said: “Imagine a life where a visit from the postman might be the only human contact you have all week.

“For many of us this is hard to do but for many older people it is a grim reality.

“Loneliness is a terrible problem that has a massive effect on older people who endure it, day in and day out.

“If we really care about the people who elected us to represent them surely it follows that we should do our best to help the vulnerable and elderly.”

The initial tasks for the working group will be to find out from older people what services they want, identify the existing level of provision and ensure information sharing.

Clarifying the exact numbers of elderly residents in the area and analysing the effectiveness of transport links will also be undertaken.