A group of students and Kent Union staff volunteers spent last Friday afternoon chatting, singing Christmas songs and sharing stories with a group of senior citizens from the local Age UK Day Centre.

Over a cup of tea or coffee, the volunteers enthusiastically entered the spirit of the afternoon and the centre users were thrilled to share stories of their lives and hear all about what our volunteers are studying, where they work and about their lives in general.

The chatter was only interrupted by outbreaks of singing to accompany the beautiful piano played by a student volunteer from the music society.

As the centre users were bussed home they were waved off by our smiling volunteers with a promise from both sides to come back and visit again very soon.

Student Volunteer Nikita Sunkari said, ‘It was amazing to hear the stories they had to tell us and it was really inspiring. We all got into the Christmas spirit and I definitely would love to go again.’

Such was the success of this session at Age UK Canterbury that Kent Union hopes to run similar sessions regularly next term. Email t.abbott@kent.ac.uk if you’d like to take part.