The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship (CSRF) Chief Executive David Tickner joined members of the Chippenham group at Chippenham Museum yesterday to recognise their work within the community
For over half a century The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship has been providing a forum for friendship and companionship to retired people in towns across the country via its local community group network.
Established initially as a charity to support former civil servants and their dependents it has evolved in recent years to offer services to those in later life. These currently include a local community group network, two national befriending schemes (Phone Buddy & National Visitors Network) and information and advice. The group network provides a valuable service to retired and older people within the community offering an important forum for friendship and companionship, educational speakers and leisure activities. The Chippenham group has been running for over 30 years and is keen to attract new interest from within the town and local area.
CSRF Chief Executive David Tickner visited the group for its Annual General Meeting yesterday to show the organisations national support of its group services and to also help encourage new interest in the group. All the groups are run by volunteers, many of whom spent their whole careers in public service. The charity receives no government funding and relies on fundraising activities and donations to support its work and their 2019 Connecting Our Communities initiative is designed to recognise and celebrate the group networks contribution to community life.
The Chippenham group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Chippenham Museum, 10 Market Place, Chippenham SN15 3HF. All local retired people are welcome at group meetings.